Who's crying now
by hiddenspikes
Summary: I always knew that I was in love with my best friend, but I could never tell him, so instead I did the stupidest thing that I could- I decided to make him jealous, to make him feel the pain he had made me feel. I know it was wrong, I knew it even as I did it, I just hope when all is said and done that he can forgive me...and if he cant, I don't know what I'll do.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- nothing belongs to me, except the plot, the characters are not mine, I'm just using them for fun, I make nothing from this.

**_A/n- so with my new school schedule this next semester I'm hoping that I will be able to update more often, I have been writing just not posting because of the time etc. As you guys have probably noticed the name of the story has changed from Bulletproof Heart to Who's Crying Now- that's because I've gone back and done a rewrite that I feel better about and know that I can do more with. The story line is going to be the same in some places and different in others. Be sure to tell me what you think. As always thank you for reading, reviews are much appreciated and keep me writing. Until next time happy reading._**

**Who's Crying Now?**

**Chapter 1- Elena**

I always knew that I was in love with my best friend. From the moment that he protected me from my tormentors in the 7th grade I knew that he was the only guy out there for me, but there was very little that was keeping me from throwing him, out on his ass as he sat across from me: raving about his current flavor of the week and breaking my heart with every word that he said.

"You just don't get it Lena. Katherine is unlike any other girl that I've ever met." He got this far away, gaga look in his baby blue eyes that slightly had me wanting to smack him and partly falling all the harder for him. Why he couldn't get that look when he thought about me? "And oh my god that thing that she does with her tongue on the tip of my co-"

"Damon!" I squealed, flushing the color of a tomato and feeling extremely uncomfortable.

"Just seeing if you were paying attention Elena." He responded flashing me a boyish smile that had my insides turning to complete much and my heart skipping a beat- if only that smile could be directed my way more often. "I wouldn't dream about telling you about what goes on with Katherine and me behind closed doors. You're too much like a little sister, it'd be wrong on so many different levels that I don't think I could ever do that." And just like that I froze, the dreaded words repeating themselves over and over in my head until it felt like I would go insane with it.

**_Little Sister_**.

Curling my pillow closer to my best I tried to not show exactly just how much those two little words had pretty much killed me inside. It must have been obvious that something was wrong cause Damon was reaching for me and asking if I was okay just as I felt like I was going to lose the contents of my stomach.

"'m fine!" I stuttered, leaping off my bed and away from his hand. Bolting out of my bedroom and making a mad dash for the bathroom down the hallways, my head was barely over the toilet seat before I was dry heaving. Kicking the door shut behind me with my foot I tried to ignore Damon's voice calling out softly, asking me if I was okay. Laying my head against the cold porcelain, I tried to focus on anything but the feeling in my stomach that felt like I had just been sucker punched by my best friend and all because of two little words.

**_Little Sister_**.

Even repeating the words to myself as I leaned back and slumped heavily against the side of the bathtub made me want to vomit all over again. There I was, seventeen years old, never been kissed, never been on a date, a complete and utter hopeless romantic that was inexplicably in love with my best friend- and he saw me as nothing more than a little sister. He could never love me back, not in the way that I loved him.

"Do you need me to get your Aunt?" Damon called out softly from the other side of the door, knocking on the blessedly closed door as he did- I never wanted him to see the tear tracks that were making their way down my cheeks as I thought about everything, I would never be able to explain them to him.

Swearing under my breath I stood up, flushed the empty toilet and washed my hands, wiping angrily at my thankfully makeup free eyes before turning and tugging open the bathroom door so I could come face to face with the man of my not so PG dreams.

"I'm fine." I whispered pathetically: answering not only his question about my aunt but also trying to reassure myself, though it wasn't really working. "There's no need to get Jenna, it was probably just something that I ate." I wanted to be sick again as I stood there bluntly lying to my best friend and the man that I was in love with, but it's not exactly like I could tell him what I was feeling and Aunt Jenna would see through my lies the second that I opened my mouth so I swallowed my guilt and did what I had to do.

"Are you sure love?" he whispered reaching up to tuck a strand of my chocolate curls behind my ear in another move that made my heart skip a beat and freverently I had to remind myself of his horrible little words. Little Sister. As much as I wanted him too he would never ever see me the way that I saw him and it wasn't fair of me to keep wishing that something that could never happen would happen.

"Yeah I'm sure." I forced out a pretty pathetic looking smile if the look that he gave me was any indication, but he didn't push it, instead shrugging. It was time to grow up and it was time to move on- he would never love me as anything more than family, only see me as family and I needed to accept that. "You were saying something about Katherine before I rudely interrupted you." Damon looked like he wanted to argue the subject change but instead he took a deep breath and followed me as I walked back towards my room.

"It's nothing important." He murmured sounding like he had just been told that Santa wasn't real. Glancing over my shoulder at him I cocked an eyebrow wondering what could have possibly sobered up my happy-go-lucky best friend so quickly that he wasn't even smiling anymore. "Elena," Damon started the moment that we had settled back into my bedroom, taking up our respective places on my bed, his hands twisting my dark green blankets between them, almost like he was nervous or something. The second that he said my full name instead of using one of his many nicknames that he had for me I knew that it was something serious- it was just a question of what and how serious. "I think Katherine is the one." He finally blurted out after one to many seconds of awkward silence, "I'm gonna tell her that I love her." If I hadn't been sitting down I think I would have fallen over the second that the word love fell from Damon's lips. Damon didn't believe in love, he had said so many times in the years that I had known him. Opening and closing my mouth like a gaping fish I struggled to find something to say that would come out sounding sincere rather than show him just how jealous I was of Katherine, how I would have gladly given up anything and everything just to have him feel that way about me, even for a split second. "Well say something." He prompted after the silence stretched on and I struggled to find something that wouldn't come out sound completely bitchy. Thankfully I was saved by the cell phone on my vanity ringing, the LED flashing Stefan Salvatore across it. Holding up a finger to tell him to give me a second I answered my phone; almost letting out a sigh of relief upon hearing his younger brother's voice.

"Hey Lena, is my idiot brother there? His cell is turned off and the parental unit is looking for him… it doesn't look good." Giuseppe Salvatore was never really a happy man, always preferring the company of his many bottles to that of anyone but his wife Angelica, but then Angelica Salvatore died and Giuseppe was left to raise Damon and Stefan on his own. Whatever nice parts of Giuseppe there were died with his wife and in the months that followed her death he went from slightly unhappy to downright cruel and malicious, especially towards Damon, who looked so much like his mother that it must have been hard for his father to bare.

"How high on the G scale are we talking." I questioned softly. The first time that Mr. Salvatore laid a hand on one of his sons none of us were really all that surprised, but then it started happening almost constantly and when it all seemed to be focused on Damon we started to worry. Stefan did what he could to protect his brother, even going as far as to attempt to take on the majority of his father's anger, but when that didn't work he created what he called the G scale. The G scale only had 10 numbers to it and the high the number the more of a bad idea it was for Damon to go home and the higher the chance of marks being left on his skin.

"Probably a seven if not an eight." Stefan replied and I could hear the worry in his voice. "Just make sure that he knows to avoid the house for a bit." I nodded, humming slightly in the affirmative, my eyes focusing on Damon who had stayed silent the whole conversation, the look of worry plastered across his handsome features making my heart down right ache for him. "So Lena, not to change the subject but are you finally going to say yes to me?" The second that the bad news was out of the way Stefan was back to his usually flirty self, the question that he had been asking me since day one his finally words before he usually hung up on me. Chewing on my bottom lip I looked over my best friend. Each and every time I had told Stefan no, that I wasn't interested but as I stared at Damon all I could hear were the words Little Sister repeating themselves over and over again in my head and I did the stupidest thing I possibly could have.

"Okay Stefan. The answer is yes, I'll go on a date with you." The second that the words had passed from my lips I wanted to take them back, the look of Damon's face making me feel the guilt already growing in my stomach…what the hell had I just done.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer- nothing belongs to me, except the plot, the characters are not mine, I'm just using them for fun, I make nothing from this.

**Who's Crying Now?**

**Chapter 2- Damon**

My mother always told me that to love somebody, to truly love someone was the most important thing that you could do in the world and that if that person loved you back then all the heartache, all the pain would have been worth it because it meant that you finally were getting your happily ever after. Then my mother died and all thoughts of happily ever after and love died with her.

I met Elena Gilbert when I was fifteen and she was thirteen and honestly I didn't think much about her except that she was the annoying little girl that moved in two doors down with her crazy ass aunt. That all changed when Giuseppe was drunk and decided that I looked like a good punching bag. Elena stepped in front of me that day, all four foot nine of her, her hands on her hips and her eyes blazing as she dared to do something that nobody had ever done- she challenged Giuseppe.

"You will not touch him!" She demanded, stomping her foot.

"Get out of my way, female." Giuseppe had growled and from the tic in his jaw I could tell that he was angry. Elena was a stubborn girl though, she merely cocked an eyebrow at him and folded her arms across her chest.

"Over my dead body." She spat stepping closer to Giuseppe until I was sure that she could smell the whiskey on his breath, "You will not touch him." And to this day he did something that shocked me to the core, he backed off, like Elena managed to have some kind of sway over him or something. After that moment Elena became a bit of a hero to me and a best friend, we were inseparable. I never really saw her as anything more than a friend and a little sister though until a few years down the road. Elena was seventeen, a little awkward and still growing into herself and I was nineteen and a manwhore to boot, doing anything and everything that I could to avoid having to go home each night. It was a Wednesday night and Elena and I were scheduled for out biweekly movie night while my girlfriend Katherine was at cheerleading practice. Jenna, Elena's aunt, waved at me as I passed her on the way up the stairs to Elena's room, having long gotten past the fact that her nieces' best friend was male and there was nothing going on between us.

Elena's bedroom door was closed, the soft rattling of the base through the door the only indication that she was even home. Pausing briefly to listen for any noises I pushed open Elena's bedroom door. The music was some old rock music that Elena tended to listen too, and Elena was jumping around on her bed as she sang out at the top of her lungs, completely off key, words that I was sure weren't the correct lyrics.

"Hey you, don't be afraid, you were made to, go out and get her- the minute you let her under your skin then you begin to make it better." I chuckled softly as she spun around, her key getting more and more off the more into the songs she got. Bending down she snatched her remote off of her nightstand and flipped songs before resuming her little show for me- not that she knew I was watching. "Saying I love you, is not the words I want to hear from you it's not that I want to, not to say but if you only knew, how easy it- it would be to show me how you feel, more than words- is all you have to do to make it real- then you wouldn't have to say that you love me, cause id already know." Her hips were swaying as she sang along with the ballad. She reached down to pick up the teddy bear that I had given her for her sixteenth birthday, holding it tightly to her chest as she swayed. Laughing softly I went to bang my hand against the door but her next words made me pause- "And Damon, my darling you'll never really know how much I truly love you." Giggling softly she pressed a kiss to the bear's nose before flopping down on the bed, curling the bear closer to herself. "And it's something that I'll never tell." She singsonged. Completely dumbfounded I stood there watching as she smiled coyly, her arms wrapping around her waist, the teddy clutched tightly to her chest. Stepping back into the hallway, I quietly closed the door behind me and leaned back against the wall. Elena was in love with me and from the sounds of it had been for a while. Pushing my fingers back through my hair I tried not to let the news startle me, tried to act like nothing had changed when in all honesty it had changed everything. Sliding down to sit against the way I took a moment to truly think about Elena. She was my best friend, family to me when nobody else really had been. Swearing softly I pushed my fingers back through my hair once more and let my eyes fall shut. What the hell was I going to do?

"What are you doing out here." Jerking myself forward, my eyes snapped open, coming face to face with Elena who was crouched down in front of me, her face the perfect picture of concern. "Are you okay?" nodding a forced a smile to my lips.

"Yeah come on, we have a movie night don't we?" Elena flashed me one of her brilliant smiles, the meaning behind that look hitting me hard. Walking into her room, we each took our respective places on her bed, her leaning against the headboard, me resting back against the baseboard.

"Anything new?" she asked, her customary question like she hadn't seen me in weeks when the truth was we had seen each other earlier at school. Crossing my legs and stretching, resting my hands behind me I thought about everything that I had witnessed, what she felt for me…and every instinct in my body was telling me that she deserved better, my feelings for her be damned. Licking my lips I tried to come up with the quickest thing that I could do to push her away from me.

"Nothing much, just spending time with Katherine. You don't get it Lena, she's unlike any other girl that I've ever met." Forcing a smile to my lips again I tired as hard as I could to keep the lies going, even though I was hurting Elena it was better that she didn't feel that way about me anymore, I could only bring her pain and misery. Elena looked like I had punched her, the hurt clearly written across the features that I knew so well. "And the thing that she does with her tongue on the tip of my co-"

"Damon!" She squealed, her skin flushing this brilliant pink shade that had all sorts of non-brotherly thoughts going through my head. Laughing softly I flashed her another smile.

"Just seeing if you were paying attention there Lena. I wouldn't dream of telling you what goes on between Katherine and me behind closed doors. You're too much like a little sister, it'd be wrong on so many different levels that I don't think I could ever do that." Elena looked like she wanted to vomit, her face taking on this ashen color as she watched me, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. Okay maybe I hadn't really thought this through completely, but it wasn't exactly like I could change my mind, I had already done the damage. When it looked like she was going to break completely, I reached for her. "Are you okay?" Elena was shoving me away from her, her throat catching on what I could only assume was a sob.

"'m fine." Her voice cracked as she lied to me, jumping off of the bed and barreling out of her bedroom and down the hallway to where the bathroom was located, the door slamming in front of my face as I followed after her, needing to know that she would be okay.

"Elena?" I questioned softly, pressing my ear against the door and hating myself all the more when I heard her stuttered breathing and the soft whimpers that told me she was crying. I was the worst kind of person for doing it to her, there were places in hell reserved for people like me, but she deserved so much better than me, I would only cause her pain and misery. Swallowing down all the feeling that were bubbling to the surface I knocked softly on the door, praying that she would answer me. "Do you need me to get your aunt." The last thing that I wanted to do was get Jenna. Sure she liked me and all but the second she say Elena and the state that she was in she would start demanding answers and when Elena's feelings all came out Jenna would go into momma bear mode and probably castrate me.

"I'm fine." She managed to get out in a horse voice a few minutes later when she opened the door to the bathroom, her eyes bloodshot, a clear indication that she had been crying more then I thought that she was. "There's no need to get Jenna, it was probably just something that I ate." I wanted to be sick as she lied to me again. We never lied to each other, we never had any secrets and yet there I was, forcing her to, all so she could protect her heart from me.

"Are you sure love?" I questioned, reaching up to touch the strand of hair that was hanging down in front of her face back behind her ear- allowing myself that small touch before I started to pull myself away from her.

"yeah im sure." She gave me this lopsided smile that looked completely forced before taking a deep breath like she was trying to steel herself to say something that she didn't want to say. "you were saying something about Katherine before I rudely interrupted you." I wanted to call her out on her lie I wanted to stop everything that I had put into motion but there was nothing that I could do, I had made my bed and it was time to lay in it, besides, I reminded myself fervently, Elena deserved better then me.

"its nothing important," I murmured as I followed her back towards her room. Taking up our usual places on her bed once more I licked at my lips, wondering how I could seal the deal with her- all it would take is one more well placed shove and hopefully Elena would decide that I was a jerk and that she needed to move on. "Elena." She looked up at me so hopefully in that moment that part of me wanted to call the whole thing off, but then the words were tumbling out of my mouth and I was helpless to stop it, "I think Katherine is the one…I'm gonna tell her that I love her." Once again Elena looked like I had slapped her, her eyes brimming with tears as she struggled to find something, from the looks of it, anything that she could say to me. I knew that I had sealed my fate and as she looked at me like I had just killed her I couldn't help but wonder again if I was doing the right thing. "Well say something?" Foot meet mouth. Elena sighed an audible sigh of relief when her phone started vibrating from the vanity behind me. Looking behind me, I scowled when I noticed my brothers name blinking across the screen a moment before she answered it. Leaning back I tried to show my concern, tried to show my interest in what she was talking about with my brother but the honest truth was I could care less- that is until her last words passed from her lips and then it was my turn to feel like I had been punched in the stomach.

"Okay Stefan. The answer is yes, I'll go on a date with you." Swearing softly to myself I closed my eyes, my heart racing, knowing that I had done the wrong thing but pushing her away, knowing that any second the jealousy was going to flare up, and I had nobody to blame but myself. I had managed to push her away like I planned, and right into the arms of my waiting brother- only for me to realize that as much as Elena loved me, I love her too…and now there wasn't much that I could do about it.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/n- Hello my Darlings! so as always thank you to everyone that reviewed, I much so appreciate them...more then I can say, they are my inspiration and totally make my day so please keep them up. I was asked if the chapters are going to go back and forth between Damon and Elena's POV and the answer is yes, its pretty much going to be everything that happened from both views because lets face it- what fun is "unrequited" love if you cant see both sides of the story! As for updates, I am going to try to at least update once a week if not twice if you guys are lucky- that being said I am already working on the next chapter. As always please don't forget to review, even if its just to tell me I suck at writing, every little bit helps. Until next time happy reading!**

**Who's Crying Now**

**Chapter 3- Elena**

What the hell was I doing here? I had no business being here, no business trying to deny my feelings for Damon and definitely no business going out on a date with his brother. I wasn't a jock, I didn't fit in well with the popular group, had always been an outcast and Stefan talking about football and all of his buddies- from Tyler Lockwood, the ass that had done nothing but verbally abuse me since I got into high school- wasn't doing anything to improve my mood. Couldn't he tell that I was bored out of my mind. Pushing another strand out of my face, I tried not to sigh as he launched into a story about this person and that at the latest party (something that I had avoided doing for the life of me) and it took everything in me to even remotely look like I was paying attention. The waiter arrived to take our orders, looking at me in what I hoped was sympathy as Stefan ordered for not only himself, but me as well, barely consulting me on what I wanted and picking something that would be better suited for one of his football buddies then it was for me. Forcing a smile to my lips, I nodded when he asked if I was okay and went back to playing with the straw that was floating idly in my glass of water.

"Sorry I'm probably boring you..." He atleast had the decency to look sheepish as he watched me from under his eyelashes and it was only because of that that I didn't tell him that yes, he was in fact boring me.

"Not at all."_ Yup that smile that I just gave you was as fake as it can possibly get and you haven't even noticed._ Stefan smiled back at me before going back to his original conversation. The last thing that I wanted to be talking about was Tyler and his girlfriend Caroline and the things that they got up too. I **_needed_** to get out of there and quickly before I lost it. Clearing my throat, I slid my chair back, trying to control the urge to dart towards the bathroom after I had finally decided that getting out of there sounded like the best plan that I could come up with.

"excuse me just a moment please." even if I was desperate to be out of there I wasn't going to be rude, my parents would be rolling around in their graves if I was. Stefan nodding, looking extremely confused, as I realized that I had probably interrupted him mid-sentence...but I really couldn't bring myself to care...what girl in their right mind wants to listen to a boy prattle on and on for a whole dinner about the guys that he gets sweaty tackling? Smiling, I pushed my chair in and picked up my purse, hoping that he was assuming that it was some female thing that had me walking as quickly as I could to the bathroom- sure it was probably bad for him to assume that but oh well, when a girls desperate, she's desperate! The door to the restroom was barely shutting behind me before I was dumping the contents of my purse on the counter in a desperate search for my cell phone. My wallet, a small hairbrush, a tube of chapstick and a handful of other items fell off of the counter as I scrambled for the white electronic, smiling in triumph when I finally found it. Holding the button on the base of the phone I finally managed to turn it back on and quickly found Damon's number, hitting call.

"Yeah?" He sounded annoyed that someone had called him when he answered and briefly I wondered if he was still mad at me for accepting a date from his younger brother. though the protected each other, it didn't mean that Damon didn't hate his younger brother, or better yet that his little brother didn't hate Damon with a passion either. the two boys could barely stand to be in the same room for more then a few minutes before they were at each others throats.

"I need an out." I hoped that he would understand that I was not beyond begging for any excuse that I could make to get away from what was quickly turning out to be the worst date that I had ever been on. There was silence on the other side of the line before I could pick up on Damon laughing and it was with that that my temper flared. "Its not funny! He hasn't shut up about the guys that he gets sweaty rubbing against on the football field!" reaching up to rub the side of my neck I finally resorted to begging, knowing that at one point in time Damon couldn't stand it when I pleaded with him, would give me anything that I wanted at the drop of a hat, I only hoped that it would work this time as well. "Come on Damon please, you know I wouldn't be asking you this if it wasn't bad, I need an out, I need your help. Please you're the only one that I can ask." Damon laughed a little harder on the other side of the phone before coughing slightly.

"you were the one that accepted Elena, suck it up and deal with it, the date is probably almost half way over already."

"we haven't even gotten our food yet, not to mention that he wouldn't even let me pick what I wanted to eat! He decided for me, decided what I was going to drink, decided _everything_ without even asking me! Please Damon, I'm begging you, get me out of here." There was silence on the other end of the line again before Damon sighed and I was hoping that maybe just maybe I had been forgiven and that Damon would bale me out but instead his answer left me staring at the phone in shock.

"You made your bed Elena, now deal with it. I'll talk to you later." And then he had hung up on me without saying goodbye. Angrily I slammed my phone down on the counter of the bathroom and tired to not let the tears that were threatening to well up, spill over. Looked like Damon was still mad at me, which meant that I was left on my own on the date from hell and there wasn't going to be much that I could do to change it. Carelessly tossing all of my junk back into my purse, I took a deep breath before walking back out to where Stefan was already eating, the food having been delivered while I was gone. Hanging my purse over the back of my chair I took my seat once again before being struck with a thought of pure genius.

"Hey I apologize about that, but, my aunt called while in was in the restroom and she needs me home right after dinner." Chewing on my bottom lip I tried to look as innocent as possible but it wasn't really working, "I'm sorry, I know that you wanted to go to the movies and all, but she was so upset that I need to go home." Stefan, to his credit, tried not to look disappointed but nodded all the same, stating that as soon as we were done he would take me home.

Dinner couldn't go by quickly enough after that, all the time spent at the table with Damon's little brother dragging out until minutes felt like years. Finally though it came time to pay, and Stefan was a gentleman as he walked me out to his car and opened the door for me. Sliding into the passengers seat I let out a sigh of relief as he walked around the outside of the car to get into the drivers seat. It wasn't until we pulled up outside of my house though that I realized just how bad that a date that you didn't want to go on could get.

"Thank you for tonight, I had a nice time." I lied as my hand reached for the handle of the door.

"Elena?" It was a mistake to turn towards him as he called my name, his lips catching my own in a soft kiss as his hand reached up to stroke over my cheek. I felt sick to my stomach, tears springing to my wide open eyes as one though repeated itself over and over in my head._ You're not Damon...My first kiss was supposed to be his! _Jerking back I pushed open the door to the car, muttering something about Jenna needing me as I practically fell out of the car in my haste to get away from him. Stefan was talking to me as I dashed up the walkway, the door slamming closed behind me and my back pressed to the wood, the tears falling rapidly. It was Damon's, it was supposed to belong to him, I had waited seventeen years, had never kissed anyone because I had wanted my first kiss to be Damon and because of Stefan, all of that had gone to waste. I felt violated, sick to my stomach and like I had betrayed Damon in the worst way as I made my way up the stairs to my room. the door was open slightly when I finally made it to my room, but it could have been for any reason- Jenna sticking laundry in my room, or my younger brother going through my things as he was prone to do- but the last thing that I expected when I flipped on the over head light was for Damon to be reclining back on my bed like he owned it, one leg crossed over the other.

"Have a fun night?" He questioned, picking up Damon Jr. (the bear that he had given me and probably would have been creeped out if he found out that I named it that) and playing with it to give his hands something to do, plucking at the brown fur.

"it was different that's for sure." I muttered reaching up to touch was I was sure were kiss swollen lips, the guilt that I had been feeling hitting me even harder at the look of anger that Damon couldn't quite conceal on his features. Chucking the stuffed animal to the side Damon slid off of my bed and walked towards me, invading my personal space and making my breath catch in my throat as I got a noseful of his cologne.

"What am I going to do with you Elena." He whispered, so softly I could barely hear it, his hand reaching up to stroke over the skin that his brother had been touching not even five minutes before that before he was pushing a strand of my hair back away from my face again. he got that far away look again, the one that was usually reserved for when he was thinking or talking about Katherine- mentally warring with himself about something. Finally as if suddenly deciding he was leaning down and his mouth was settling firmly, almost possessively against mine, the hand that had tucked my hair back cupping the back of my neck to keep me in place- like I would honestly even think about pulling away from him. The kiss seemed to last forever, but really was only a few seconds, a breathy little noise that I barely recognized as my own escaping my lips, before he was jerking away from me as if he had been burned, his eyes lighting up with a look of disgust, like he couldn't believe that he had dared to touch me that way. Without saying a word he stalked past me and out of my room, slamming the door behind him on the way out. Crumpling into myself I barely managed to pull myself onto my bed, curling my body into itself as it was wracked with sobs, wondering what I could have possible down to make Damon so disgusted. was I really that bad of a kisser? or maybe it was just because Damon realized just how much like family I was...or maybe I was just flat out disgusting...either way, as I clutched Damon Jr. to my chest I only knew one thing for sure- I had no idea what had happened and to make matters even worse I didn't know how to fix it- or better yet, if I ever could fix it...and beyond anything that scared me the most.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n- Here we are the second update of the week! Woo I'm on a roll! Any who, thank you to everyone that reviewed I appreciate it. If you guys have any questions please let me know I would be more than happy to answer them. Any and all mistakes in the writing are mine, sorry it's completely unedited except for by myself and I tend to miss things. As always please don't forget to review. Until next time happy reading!**

Who's Crying Now

Chapter 4- Damon

"Who pissed in your cereal?" Katherine Pierce questioned as she sat in front of her vanity, her fingers braiding back her blond curls. Elena had just barely left for her date with my brother and I wanted...no needed a distraction.

"I don't want to talk about it." I grumbled folding my arms across my chest. I was being an ass towards Katherine and I knew it but I couldn't really bring myself to care. Katherine rolled her eyes, tying off the end of her braid with an elastic before she pushed it over her shoulder and turned around to look at me.

"If you have such a problem with her actually going out with someone that might be a potential other half for her then why the hell did you push her into it?" She questioned again, cocking an eyebrow at me. Rolling my eyes, I tossed one of the little pillows that sits on her bed at her, leaning against the post at the edge of her bed that held up her canopy. "What? You know I have a pretty damn good point there Damon. It's not like you would have offended me if you went after her." and if wouldn't have, I knew that it wouldn't have- because for all the shows we put on in front of the student body they were just that: shows...and the only person who knew that apart from Katherine and myself was Katherine's girlfriend Rebekah. Katherine and I were a couple for the public only, in reality she was actually like a sister and Katherine's interest in women meant that I wasn't even her type- the only reason we were even "together" was to keep Katherine safe from judgment and bullying and to keep the girls off my back. I never slept with her and only kissed her when I absolutely had too- and even then they weren't exactly deep, tongue fucking kisses.

"I couldn't exactly change my mind after I had just gotten done telling her that I was in love with you not could I?" Katherine rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair regarding me with a look that I could place anywhere- the same look that I have seen on Giuseppe's face since I was a kid. Damon- you're an idiot.

"Why the hell would you even do that anyways?" Shaking her head again she shrugged, "Never mind, don't answer that, I already know, no brains no headaches." letting out a slow breath she picked up her cell phone as it chimed, the ringtone that of her girlfriend and quickly messaged her back before she regarded me again. "The question is, what are you going to do about it. You know that you don't want Elena with your brother, even a blind person could see that and eventually she will be able too." Letting out a slow breath I let myself flop back onto her bed, silently contemplating what exactly it was I was going to do. I couldn't exactly just suddenly proclaim my love for Elena, she'd think I was lying...and then I would have to explain that I lied to her about Katherine, which would anger her even more. Either way it wasn't looking good for me and what should have had a simple solution was becoming even more of a problem.

"I have no idea. I really screwed up when I decided that she was way too good for me. I shouldn't have taken that choice away from her."

"No shit Sherlock." rolling my eyes I turned my head so I could look at Katherine.

"That's not helping." Katherine shrugged and proceeded to look down at her nails.

"And neither is your bitching about it like a little girl with a crush. Christ Damon it's like I'm more of a man then you are right now. Grow a pair, admit that you lied to her and do what you need to do." Opening my mouth I went to retort to her when my cellphone started ringing from my back pocket. Rolling onto my stomach I fumbled with it for a second before answering, my irritation with Katherine and her blunt words showing when I snapped, "Yeah?"

"I need an out." Elena sounded panicked from the other side of the phone and I knew that it had to be because of my brother. He could honestly be smart when he wanted too but that was only when he wanted too, most of the time he was the perfected embodiment of the dumb jock. Laughing softly, I waved Katherine off when she looked at me like I was insane before putting the conversation on speakerphone so that she could hear what Elena was saying. "It's not funny! He hasn't shut up about the guys that he gets sweaty rubbing against on the football field!" It took everything in me to keep from laughing harder at what she was saying about my brother, able to picture it damn near perfectly. "Come on Damon, please, you know I wouldn't be asking you if it wasn't bad. I need and out, I need your help. Please you're the only one that I can ask." I forced out another laugh as inside I was warring with myself- help Elena, play her rescuer and save her from the hell that was my brother or let her deal with it. Eventually my self-hatred won out and I forced out my words even as Katherine was looking liked she wanted to kill me.

"You were the one that accepted Elena, suck it up and deal with it, the date it probably almost half way over already." Katherine looked livid as she pushed herself up from her chair and stalked her way over to me.

"We haven't even gotten our food yet, not to mention that he wouldn't even let me pick what I wanted to eat! He decided for me, decided what I was going to drink, he decided everything without even asking me. Please Damon, I'm begging you, get me out of here." This time around it was harder for me to deny her and from the looks that Katherine was giving me I shouldn't be denying her, I should be dashing to her rescue, it would give me the in that I needed and probably make it so that Elena forgave me a little easier then she was going too when she found out just how much I had manipulated her. But as it always did my self-hatred won out.

"You made your bed Elena." I grit out, "Now deal with it." Katherine looked flat out murderous as I quickly ended the phone call, "I'll talk to you later." Hanging up my phone, the line barely disconnected before Katherine's hand was connecting with the side of my head in a smack that had my vision swimming- for a woman she could hit pretty damn hard.

"Wow! And you wonder why the hell she went straight into your brothers arms. If I were her and you treated me like that I would have ran in the other direction the second that I could have and Damon I wouldn't look back for anything."

Shaking my head I chucked my phone across her bed, feeling guilty about what I had said to her even as part of me argued that I was doing the right thing. Self-hatred is a bitch.

"It was for the best, she deserves someone that's not quite as fucked up as I am."

"You're so fucking stupid." Katherine shook her head before pointing towards the door, "get the hell outta here, I don't want to hear your woe woe is me bullshit when she just gave you the perfect chance to fix things and you hid your head in the fucking sand." Groaning I pushed myself to my feet and rolled my eyes before making my way towards the door, "Oh and Damon, you better do something to fix all this shit soon, or I will, and you won't like how I do it either." Nodding I licked my lips and pulled the door closed behind me as I exited her room. There wasn't really anywhere that I could go, I wouldn't go home, not with the chance that Giuseppe was still awake, so I went to the one place that I told myself that I shouldn't go, I went to Elena's house.

Jenna looked at me in understanding when she opened the door to me, her look of pity making me feel sick to my stomach. Without having to say anything Jenna knew how I felt about her niece, and stepped to the side, letting me into the house even though Elena wasn't there and neither of us knew when she was going to be home. I followed her into the kitchen where she poured me a cup of coffee and held it out to me, offering me a smile that said she knew exactly how I was feeling. Taking a sip I thanked her and seated myself at the bar.

"Does she know?" Jenna questioned softly, leaning back against the counter, her own cup of coffee clutched between her fingers. Shaking my head I looked down at the cup in my hands.

"No." Letting out a slow breath I shrugged, "and its better that way, she deserves better." Jenna snorted and reached over to pour her coffee down the sink. Rinsing out the mug she then turned to grab a bottle of vodka out of the fridge and poured herself a generous amount into the mug, muttering softly under her breath as she did before finally turning back to me.

"Don't you think you should let her decide that one?" She questioned taking a swallow of her drink, "it's not really fair taking that choice away from her don't you think?" Swallowing down the rest of the coffee I set the mug down on the counter as I stood up, shrugging.

"I'm gonna wait for Elena upstairs Jenna, thanks for the coffee." And that's how I found myself, sitting alone in Elena's room, in the dark, trapped with my thoughts and wondering why I didn't just throw caution to the wind and tell her what I thought, what I felt. It felt like forever that I sat there, going over everything again and again- and just when I had decided that I should tell Elena, to hell with everything else, she walked into her room-

Flipped on the lights-

-and her lips were swollen.

I wanted to be sick.

"Have a fun night." I questioned, reaching over to pick up the bear that I had given her for her birthday, needing to keep my hands busy so that I didn't go after my brother and kill him. Elena reached up to touch her lips, stroking her thumb along the red skin.

"It was different that's for sure." I needed to get out of there. I was going to do or say something that I would regret. Tossing the bear to the side I climbed to my feet, headed towards the door. Elena let out a slow breath as I approached her, and against everything I stopped.

"What am I going to do with you Elena?" I questioned softly to myself, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. I wanted to be mad at her, wanted to be mad at my brother, but I couldn't bring myself to be mad, I was hurting instead- an emotion that I wasn't familiar with. Unconsciously Elena leaned into my touch and that movement alone made me do something that I knew I shouldn't have. I leaned down and pressed my lips softly into her, pouring everything that I was feeling at that moment into a kiss that shouldn't have happened. My lips pressed a little harder into hers and Elena made a soft little breathy noise that was like a bucket of cold water being poured over my head. Jerking back from her lips I felt disgusted with myself, what the hell was I doing- she was with my brother now and I had just pushed a kiss on her that she probably didn't want. Not waiting to see the look of disgust that she gave me, I pushed past her and out of her bedroom, slamming the door behind me. Jenna tried to stop me on the way down the stairs, asking what was wrong but I ignored her, instead I kept going, running until I was two blocks away, my breath coming in gasps. I had never hated myself more than I did in those few seconds- what had I done. Elena would probably never forgive me and I didn't blame her, I probably wouldn't forgive myself. Briefly I debated going back to Katherine's but I knew that she wouldn't understand. Reaching into my back pocket, I searched for a phone that wasn't there, I had left it at Katherine's on her bed. Squaring my shoulders I finally decided on Ric- he was probably my only male friend and I knew that he would let me crash there without asking questions, and wouldn't kill me when I showed up at his apartment in the middle of the night without any phone call beforehand. Tugging my leather jacket closer around my body I started the long walk across town, the whole time my thoughts haunted by the feel of Elena's lips against my own...something I was sure that I was never going to feel again.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/n- I am so sorry that it's taken me a week to get this up! Being sick sucks, it really does and especially with the bug that's going around- ugh…anyways that being said I am already working on Damon's side of this chapter and are hoping that this next week I can get all caught up and back to posting two chapters a week like I was but we will see with that one. As always thank you to everyone that has read and reviewed, I really appreciate them, the honestly mean the world to me and they keep me going and bring a smile to my face with every single one of them that I get! For those of you reading without end I promise that I will finish it, and are also working on the next chapter of it- I'm just not sure on how I want to end it.. Anyways, that being said I'm done ranting and I'm sure you guys are tired of reading my ranting so until next time happy reading!**

**Who's Crying Now?**

**Chapter 5- Elena**

I sat there for the longest time after Damon had left staring at the door, wondering what the hell I had done to make him do what he had done and in the end I couldn't for the life of me figure it out. At first I was confused, and then that confusion slowly turned to anger and that anger grew until I got to the point where I was fuming.

_How dare he do that to me?_

Picking myself up off of my bed I stalked over to my purse that had fallen next to the door of my room and fumbled around in it for a moment before I found my cellphone. Unlocking it I scrolled into my recent calls and clicked on Damon's name, waiting for the ringing to start before I headed back towards my bed, my thumb automatically switching it onto speaker phone. The first time that it went to voicemail I was more hurt then I was angry, why wouldn't he be answering my phone. Sitting down on the edge of my bed I hung up the phone before hitting his name again, listening to it ring and ring and ring and ring...

And the more that it rang the angrier that I got.

"Damon James Salvatore! You have some serious explaining to do. What the hell were you thinking playing with my head like that? Call me back as soon as you get this."

Fuming I hung up the phone, and debated going out to look at him, I wanted answers and I wanted them then. Glancing over at the clock I realized that there was no way that Jenna was going to let me out of the house to go look for him. Resigning myself to that I walked into the bathroom and stripped down before climbing into the shower and turning the water as hot as I possibly could stand it. I stood there for the longest time, my head resting against the cool tiles, wondering when things had gotten so complicated. Why had Damon kissed me, what had he been thinking and why had he ran out on me as fast as he did...was it something that I did wrong? It wasn't until the water finally started to run cold that I climbed out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around my waist, I picked up my cell phone and hoped and prayed for a text, anything from Damon but there was nothing, my cell phone was silent. Drying my hair with a towel I slipped into my PJs before climbing into bed, setting my phone down next to my pillow and turning up the volume as high as I could. for most of the night I tossed and turned, jolting myself awake with every little sound that was made in hope that maybe just maybe Damon had contacted me- but it never happened and by the time that morning had hit I was no longer angry, instead I was hurt and I wasn't sure what was going to happen with the two of us.

Jenna looked at me with pity when I went down to breakfast, her hand reaching up to ruffle my hair like she understood everything that had happened and felt sorry for me. at first I couldn't say anything, I didn't want to say anything, didn't want to admit what I was feeling and how confusing those feelings were getting, but then the looks from Jenna started to get worse and I found myself wishing that the time would pass quicker so I could leave for school and get away from the pity that she was giving me. Finally when I couldn't take it anymore I pushed myself away from the breakfast bar and grabbed my backpack, muttering something about needing to talk to a teacher before class and beating a hasty retreat out the back door. as mad as I was I couldn't stop myself from stopping at the Salvatore household before school, hoping that maybe Damon's phone had just died and he wasn't ignoring me. For as long as I could remember he had walked me to school every day- sure he had a car...his baby as he called it lovingly- but before, when he couldn't drive we had set up a tradition of walking together, Damon to protect me from the cruel girls at the school, like Caroline and her snobbish friends, and me, because I couldn't stand the thought of spending any amount of time in a car after my parents had died in a car accident, leaving me alone in the back seat to deal with their loss as I waited for help to come. When I got to his house though there was no sign of life within the walls- no sounds of Giuseppe yelling, or Damon yelling back, no sounds of music coming from the back kitchen where the door was propped open with a rock- nothing. chewing at an already abused bottom lip I knocked on the door frame, waiting patiently for a second until Stefan, probably the last person that I wanted to see after the horrible excuse of a date the night before, popped his head outside the door and gave me a smile, his hair still wet his chest bare and a towel wrapped around his shoulders.

"Damon's not here if you're looking for him." Came his first words as he gave me a grin that didn't do to my insides what Damon's did, even when I was mad at him, "I think he already headed out, but if you want to wait I will give you a ride to school." Stefan knew, everyone did, about my parents and that he could even think that I would want to willingly put myself in a car after everything that happened only served as an even more extreme reminder that he just wasn't Damon and that I would always hold _everyone _to the high standard that my best friend had set and that **_nobody _**would ever be able to live up to it.

"I'm good but thank you." I offered a weak smile before backing away from the door and making the slow journey towards the school. it didn't take me long to get there, or well it didn't feel like it took me long simply because I was thinking the whole time as I walked, my fingers picking at my nails, my teeth worrying what were soon going to become chapped lips. It wasn't until I heard the high pitched bark of an order from Caroline and then the standard 'rah rah fight! Fight! Fight!' cheer coming from the football field that I realized I was even at the school. Thankfully I was able to make it safely to my locker without incident, my backpack dropping to the floor next to my feet as I spun the combination into the lock mindlessly.

I felt like I was on autopilot as I grabbed the books that I needed and shoved them into my backpack, making it the standard fifteen pounds heavier before slamming the metal door shut. Even walking to class was done mindlessly, my eyes focused on the tile floors, completely oblivious to the students around me, though I could hear the dull buzz of constant chatter all around me, nothing registered in my head- I was too focused on him, on Damon. He had left me, not a word, had yet to have contacted me- was I really that easily forgotten? My first class was empty when I walked through the doors, go figure since it was another forty-five minutes before the early bell would even ring, and thankfully Mr. Shane never said a word, merely cocked an eyebrow, as I took my standard seat in the far back corner. I couldn't even bring myself to get lost in a book as I sat there, lost in my thoughts...even my journal didn't sound appealing and that was my usual go to think- I could just already picture the entry...Damon this and Damon that sprawled out across the pages and the mere thought of it made me sick to my stomach in ways that I couldn't comprehend. Even when class started almost an hour later I couldn't focus, not in that class or any of the others after it- I felt like a zombie...except instead of the constant need for brain floating through my head I had one mantra that was starting to make me sick.

_Where is Damon, why did he leave, why hasn't he shown up toward, Christ I hope he's okay._

And the more that I thought about it the more pathetic that I felt the more that I wanted to be sick to my stomach, the angrier that I got to myself and the more that it became bluntly obvious to me that maybe just maybe Damon didn't need me like I needed him. When the bell that signaled the end of the school day finally rang I slunk my way over to my locker, once again mindlessly putting in the combination and starting to put away the books from my backpack- god forbid if I had any homework, lord knows I wasn't paying attention enough to know if I did not. It wasn't until I heard her giggle and his deep laugh that I snapped out of my reprieve.

Katherine Pierce was the last person that I wanted to have a locker next too but thankfully most of the time I could ignore it- sure she was Damon's girlfriend and I was sure she could be a good person but she was automatically public enemy number one in my book simply because she had Damon when he was all that I ever really wanted.

He was standing with her, his arm curled around her waist, his clothes disheveled looking- the same ones from the night before and that smile...god that smile, the one that always did weird things to my insides, plastered across his face as he spoke with her. Katherine was laughing at whatever it was that he was saying to her, constantly pushing his wandering hands away as she tried to open her locker. Damon couldn't even bring himself to look at me as he spoke, completely ignoring the fact that I was standing right there, that I had been worried, that I had been trying to find him, that I had been hurt...and just like that I saw red.

"You Jackass!" I snarled when his arms had released Katherine so she could get into her locker, my hands shoving at his chest and pushing him back a couple of inches.

"Elena?" The confusion was clear in his voice, like he had just barely noticed I was standing there as I pummeled my fists pathetically against his chest, probably doing my damage to my hands then I was to his body. "What the hell is your problem?" He demanded grabbing both of my wrists in his hands to stop the barrage of hits that I was directing at him...my anger growing with each passing second- could he not see what he had done to me, how much he had screwed me up with just one press of his lips to my own the night before.

"My problem Damon," I snapped, try to yank my hands from his grasp so i could hit him again and hating the feeling of needing to cry and not wanting to show him my weakness. "is that I..." _love you and have since I was a little kid_, "Hate you, so damn much..."_because you never could love me back and its killing me inside..._"Do you know how much I worried about you? Probably could have cared less..." Damon stopped struggling with me then, looking for the life of me like I had just hit him, his hands releasing my wrists automatically and his expression falling.

"Elena..." He reached up for my cheek in a gesture that was all too familiar for us and I _knew_ that if touched me like that I would forgive him, would let all of it go because it was Damon, he was **_my_** Damon, and I would always forgive him, but I wasn't ready to do that yet, so instead I fled, leaving my backpack on the floor. I ran until my lungs burned, until I could see past my tears, until I felt numb and only then did I stop, my back resting against one of the tree trunks in the cemetery as I glared at my parents tomb. If they hadn't have left me I never would have met Damon, never would have moved in with my aunt, none of this would be happened. I knew that I was being irrational but it felt good to let the anger out.

Slinking down to sit at the base of the tree I pulled my knees up to my chest before resting my forehead forward, allowing the tears to finally flow freely, not caring if it made me weak. I was confused, I was hurting and at that point all I wanted was to make it stop- would have given anything to make it stop...if only I knew how.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/n- Hello my darlings! Welcome to the newest chapter, as always thank you to everyone that has reviewed…they mean the world to me and make my day- that being said please don't kill me for this chapter! I promise it's not what any of you think and the story will have a happy ending like my stories always do because I'm a sucker for them. Also, if there is anything that anyone would like to see, please let me know, feedback is food for the muses that control what I write. Please don't forget to review. The next chapter should be up soon. Until next time, happy reading.**

Who's crying now?

Chapter 6- Damon

Ric answered the door a few minutes after I knocked, looking haggard with at least two days' worth of facial hair growing on his chin. He didn't seem all that surprised to see me though, but then I again I guess with how much time I spend at his apartment it doesn't really surprise me...more often than not its where I was.

"What happened this time?" He questioned rubbing his hands over his face as I followed him into the kitchen, the mandatory glass of scotch in his hands as he leaned back against the bar. Shaking my head I plopped myself down at the table before letting my head fall forward to hit the wood with a dull thunk.

"Life sucks." I grumbled lifting my head up enough to speak before letting it fall back down. Ric chuckled, snorting softly under his breath about, 'no shit Sherlock' before he was setting a drink down next to my hand on the table.

"Tell me about it." It wasn't a request and I knew that it wasn't a request, I had woken him up at god knows what time and the least I could do was tell him what I had done to make it so I needed to stay with him.

"I kissed her." Sighing I sat up and reached for the drink that he had set down next to me, taking a swallow before I could even look at him. "I don't know what the hell I was thinking but I kissed her and then when she looked at me like- fuck I don't even know what she looked at me like but I couldn't handle it and so I took off."

"What's so wrong with you kissing Katherine?" For as bright as Ric could be at times, being a teacher and all, he could also be really really dense.

"No- psh not Katherine. Elena!" Ric looked like I had just tossed my drink on him as I dropped my head back against the table. "I'm such a fucking idiot. What was I thinking kissing her? She is my best friend, she is off limits!"

Ric laughed softly at that, pulling out the chair next to me so that he could sit down.

"Well that and you're dating Katherine." I didn't even bother lifting my head as I flipped Ric off, the soft snort that I got in return telling me that he got what I meant. "No thank you princess, save that for your best friend." Groaning softly I lifted up enough to take another drink of the scotch that he had given me.

"What the hell am I even supposed to do? She probably hates me now. I never should have done it." Ric rolled his eyes and reached for the partially empty cup, pulling it away.

"Christ you're acting more girly then my wife did when she was on her period." Shaking his head he stood and walked over to the skin, setting my cup in it, "Grow a pair and do what needs to be done." Even my non-existent girlfriend had said the same thing, there had to be something to it.

Nodding I stood myself and fumbled for my back pocket, once again looking for the phone that I have left at Katherine's.

"I should just call her and apologize or beg for forgiveness or something." Ric rolled his eyes and walked me over towards the couch, pushing me until I tripped back and landed on my ass.

"Sit your drunk ass down, you're not calling anyone tonight. Why don't you stop thinking about it for tonight, get some sleep and take care of it in the morning." Nodding, I agreed with him and instead chose to lean back- there was no way that I could call her anyways, my phone was nowhere that I could get to it, not until morning anyways. Maybe Ric was right and all I needed was some time to sleep and not think about everything that had happened between Elena and I. I barely even noticed as he went to bed that night, my eyes already closed from where I sprawled out on the couch...but as much as I wanted to sleep as much as I wanted the next day to come so I could fix things- sleep never came and instead I tossed and turned all night, thoughts of Elena and what I was going to do running through my thoughts until I finally had to get up and pace just to be able to calm myself slightly. I knew that I was probably over thinking things, but I couldn't exactly help it, the look that Elena had given me had scared me, what could she think of me after I had not only kissed her like that but ran out on her as well. I didn't sleep a wink that night, I paced and when I couldn't pace anymore I laid down but even then I tossed and turned. Finally a few hours after sunrise I fell asleep, but even then it wasn't a good sleep. Ric let me sleep for a few hours until he was rolling my ass off of the couch and demanding to know what I was going to do- probably more so because Elena's aunt was his girlfriend instead of out of actual concern for me.

"Seriously? Last night you were all gung ho to fix things and now your dragging your damn feet. what's wrong with you?" Groaning softly I stretched my arms above my head before reaching down to scratch at my bare stomach.

"She's in school right now anyways, it's not like there is much that I can do while she's there now is there." Ric rolled his eyes and tossed the t-shirt that I had discarded the night before at me.

"Get dressed, I don't want to see your half naked body wandering around my living room. And after you get dressed you're going to march your ass down to the school and fix things. It's getting close to last period anyways so you should be able to catch her." Rolling my eyes as he bitched at me, I tugged my shirt on and pushed my fingers back through my hair.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Are you at least gonna give me a ride over there, since my ass walked all the way over here." Ric shook his head before shrugging and grabbing his keys- and like that we were on our way.

The last bell had just rung when we pulled up to the school, students already starting to herd towards the cars in the parking lots. I climbed out and slammed the door behind me, Ric not even waiting until I had stepped away before he was taking off, probably on his way to see Jenna. When I got into the hallway the first thing I saw was a shock of bright blond hair and a cheerleading outfit. Sure I had come to see Elena but I couldn't help but curl my arm around Katherine's waist when she walked in front of me, pressing a brotherly kiss to her temple.

"So I think I left my phone at your house last night." I whispered drawing her body against mine in a comfortable backwards hug. Katherine laughed softly before shrugging and digging into her black hole of a purse for said phone. Shaking her head she held it up for me, the battery blinking at me and telling me that it needed to be plugged in before it died.

"No duh Damon, it wouldn't shut up, it kept ringing and ringing and ringing and when it finally did shut up I was already wired enough that sleeping wasn't an option. Please, next time you decide to give your current bootycall your cell number, I beg you, don't leave it at my house because then I don't sleep." Snorting down the laughter that I was feeling I trailed her over to her locker, my hands tickling the bare skin of her sides that her cheerleading uniform left uncovered.

"What can I say, they just want me for my body," Katherine started laughing really hard at that one and I wasn't sure whether I should be offended or take it worth a grain of salt, but I didn't have a chance to really ponder it because the next thing I knew was I had small hands shoving against my chest and Elena's voice yelling at me.

"You JACKASS!" Her small fists kept hitting against my chest as all 5'4" of Elena pummeled against me.

"Elena?" I questioned softly, reaching for her wrists, if only to get her to stop hitting me. She had come out of nowhere, and she wouldn't stop hitting me! "What the hell is your problem?" I finally demanded when I could get her to stop. Elena glared at me, her face turning red as she yanked her hands out of my grasp.

"My problem Damon, is that I hate you, so damn much..." Uh wait...what? Stepping back slightly I could barely think, let alone breath as the words came spilling out of her, the anger growing with each word that she practically spat at me, "Do you know how much I worried about you?" She scoffed then, more talking to herself then me, "Probably could have cared less..."Okay that one hurt. Shaking it off as best as I could I reached up to touch her cheek, wanting to comfort her, wanting to do anything to fix what I could.

"Elena..."She looked at me like I was going to strike her, her eyes going wide before she turned and bolted down the hallway, her backpack forgotten at our feet. "Elena!" By the time my mind had registered that I needed to go after her it was too late, she had already disappeared into the throng of students. Swearing I punched one of the lockers, barely registering the sharp pain in my hand as I did before returning to Katherine where I got another sharp pain in the form of the palm of her hand colliding with me cheek.

"Uh Ouch." Katherine glared at me her arms folding across her chest in an impression of a mad two year old, about ready to stomp her feet.

"What did you do to that poor girl Damon James?" She accused, poking her finger into my chest in a sharp jab.

"I didn't do anything! I don't know what the hell just happened. You were there you saw the whole damn thing." Katherine cocked an eyebrow at me, almost like she didn't believe me before she rolled her eyes and reached down behind me to grab Elena's backpack.

"Then how about you get off your sorry ass, take her book bag home and find out what you did so you can fix it." When Katherine has something set in her mind there is no arguing with her about it, so instead of pushing my luck and risking another slap I nodded and took the backpack from her. "And so help me Damon, if you don't fix this, I will." With her threat fresh in my mind, I made the slow two mile walk back towards Elena and my street. I had a lot to think about and yet in that same breath there was nothing that I could really focus on, my mind was in too much of a whirlwind. The miles seemed to go by quickly until I was standing on Elena's front porch, my hand raised to knock. Jenna answered the door before I could, folding her arms across her chest in something that I would describe as scolding.

"What are you doing here Damon?" She questioned, stepping outside and completely blocking me from entering the house.

"I brought this home for Elena and was hoping that I could talk to her..." In the distance I could hear Elena talking to what sounded like Ric, so I knew that she was there but from the look on Jenna's face, hell would freeze over before I got to her niece.

"She doesn't want to see you Damon. Thank you for bringing back her belongings but I think it would be best if you went now." And then taking the backpack from me, she stepped into the house and closed the door in my face. For the first few minutes I sat there staring at the door feeling completely hopeless, I had ruined things with my best friend and there was nothing that I could do to change it. But then, I remembered Elena saying that she loved me, and even if I wasn't supposed to hear it I knew that it was true, she did love me and that meant that I had some chance no matter how miniscule of fixing it. Walking off of the porch, I snuck to the side of the house, my eyes going from Elena's and my tree to her bedroom window. Sure I wasn't a climber and I would have to have a lot of luck, but when there is a will there is a way, so with that I scaled the tree, barely managing to balance myself as I reached the upper branch and leaned against her window ledge. At first the window wouldn't budge and I feared that I had done it all for nothing, but then with a little bit of wiggling I was able to get it open and climbed slowly into her room, all the while feeling like a major stalker. It didn't take long of me sitting in the dark to feel like I was being creepy, but then Elena opened her bedroom door, came in and turned on the light and all thoughts of backing out went out the window.

"Christ what are you a stalker or something! I said I don't want to see you right now Damon." She snarled at me, closing the door behind her to keep Jenna and Ric from hearing what was going on.

"Please Elena, it's not what you think, just let me explain."

"I doubt there is anything that you can say that will fix it Damon. You messed with me head, you made me worry and you didn't care at all. But whatever...wow me."

And so I did the stupidest thing that I could possibly do- I took a deep breath and I blurted it out-

"Elena, I'm in love with you."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/n- So this is the new chapter and the one that I should probably be really begging that nobody kill me for but hey remember there is still a lot of stuff that needs to happen before we can have our happy ending! As always thank you to everyone that has read, reviewed, favorite and followed…they really make me a happy camper and inspire me to keep going with a story that I'm not sure if anyone but me really likes! Sorry that this chapter got up so late this week, exams sucks. Next chapter should be up earlier in the week. If there are any suggestions, please feel free to let me know, I am always willing to listen. Until next time, happy reading.**

**Who's Crying Now?**

**Chapter 7- Elena**

When the tears had finally subsided I was left feeling empty, the cold bark of the tree against my back drawing me in from my thoughts. I felt exhausted and like I couldn't cry anymore, there were no more tears to cry, but then again when you feel like that, that's always when things go from bad to worse. Rubbing at my arms, the cold of the early winter evening started to seep into my skin. Shaking myself out of what I was feeling I reached down on the ground next to me for the backpack that wasn't there. cursing myself I realized that I had left it on the floor in front of my locker when I had acted irrationally and ran out of there...hopefully Da- I stopped myself right there, I had just been lord knows how long crying over him and I didn't want to think about it anymore. If my backpack had been dropped off at the house then great and if it hadn't then oh well, I would try and find it in the morning at the school- hopefully someone had been kind enough to drop it off at the lost and found. swallowing I composed myself as best as I could before making the short trek back to the house, the whole time my arms curled around myself in hopes of keeping a little warm. It was starting to get dark when I got there, the winter days already giving in to the early nights. Jenna looked worried when she saw my red eyes, but she didn't question me, just like I never questioned her on the nights that she didn't come home- we understood each other that way. Ric however was a different story. The moment that I stepped into the living room he was hopping to his feet and crossing over to me in a few strides, his hand reaching up to cup my cheek in a movement so familiar to what Da-

_Don't even think about it Elena!_

Forcing myself to smile I tried to ignore it as Ric took hold of my arms and started to demand an answer about what was going on with me.

"What happened are you okay?" I nodded, completely bullshitting it, but technically I wasn't lying, I hadn't actually said that I was okay, "was it something that happened at school," Again I nodded, this time in the negative, technically it didn't _just _happen at school, it had happened over a matter of day in several different places, so once again I wasn't technically lying to him, "Was it something Damon did?" And just like that, the floodgate that I had been trying so hard to keep at bay broke and the tears completely unbidden started up again. Ric looked at me for a moment, his lips thinning into a line, his eyes hardening into a glare, "I thought so." He pulled away from me and reached for his jacket, "I'm gonna kill that bastard when I get my hands on him." He swore. Panicking I grabbed his arm and jerked him back towards me, using the momentum to push both of us onto the couch.

"Please Ric don't, I'm sure that it's just a misunderstanding..." but even as I was saying the words I felt sick with the weight of them, the hysterical tone I had and the lie behind them which from the look on Ric's face, my lie sounded just as bad to his ears as It did to my own. I didn't want to cry anymore so angrily I reached up to swipe at my cheeks, silently swearing at myself, and at him. How could he be doing this to me...I had decided that he didn't matter to me anymore and that was going to be the end of it- but who was I kidding, Damon had always been a huge part of my life and always would be no matter how much I denied it. "We'll figure something out eventually, it just might take us a little time is all. I can handle it." I swallowed after I said those words, feeling even sicker to my stomach, I didn't think I could handle it and I didn't think that we would be able to fix things, I didn't see things in the future being fixed at all, I wouldn't even know where to start. Chewing roughly at my bottom lip I climbed to my feet, leaving Ric sprawled awkwardly across my bed. "I think I had better go up to my room." Ric nodded in understanding even as I was walking through the living room towards the stairs. I had barely made it to the hallway when Jenna was shoving past me, her lips drawn into a thin line her hand already reaching for the doorknob.

"Damon is outside on the steps." She warned, looking over her shoulder at me, this fierce, determined, I'm gonna kill him look plastered over her face.

"Jenna please," I begged softly, walking past her and planting my ass on the bottom step, just out of site of the door, feeling like all the energy had been drained out of me, "Don't do anything...stupid...just tell him to go away, I don't wanna see him right now." Ric was across the living room and sitting next to me the second that Jenna said that Damon was standing outside, his arm curled around my shoulder in a show of support. Leaning into his side I held my breath as Jenna opened the door.

"What are you doing here Damon?" I heard her ask as she disappeared outside the door, blocking Damon almost completely from my view, her back rigged. Ric kissed my temple and let out a slow breath, whispering words of comfort into my hair as I wanted to break down again. Damon was his friend, but I was his girlfriend niece, he would protect me before he protected Damon.

"I brought this home for Elena..." The second that he said my name, I whimpered pathetically, burying my face in hands, calling myself an idiot over and over again as Ric tried to assure me that I wasn't, that I was a normal teenage girl, that it happened to everyone, "And I was hoping that I could talk to her..."

"She doesn't want to see you Damon." Jenna's voice had lost all its caring tone to be replaced be a coldness that had shivers running up my own back, she was more than a little angry, "Thank you for bringing back her belongings but I think it would be best if you went now." And then she was walking back into the house and closing the door in his face. It took Ric's arm around my shoulder and the look on Jenna's face to keep me from bolting up, flinging open the door and begging that Damon stay. Maybe it would be best if I didn't see him for a while- especially with how badly things were going between us, and how badly he had made me feel. Sighing softly I reached for the bag that Jenna held out to me, thankful that I would at least have my journal again, that I could at least escape for a little bit into my head and not have to think too much about what was going on. I could already see the journal entry now...

Dear Diary-

How much do I love Damon...? Let me count the ways...

Or better yet...

Dear Diary-

Damon's such a dick and yet I still want him...what the hell is wrong with me.

Sighing I stood up, shrugging Ric's arm off my shoulder. I had sat there moping long enough. A hot shower and then off to bed was what I needed, I could face everything else in the morning...I could deal with Damon in the morning.

"I think I'm gonna hit the hay, it's been a long ass day and I'm tired." Smiling a fake smile I let out a breath, "Goodnight..."And then I was escaping up the stairs to my sanctuary. It wasn't until I walked into my room, and flipped on the lights that the tiredness zapped out of me, so quickly it left me reeling. There sitting on my window seat was Damon, looking completely out of place and like I had just caught him with his hands down his pants.

"Christ are you a stalker or something?" _If only he really would stalk me, then I could have something to look forward too, _"I said I didn't want to see you right now Damon." I growled out, knowing that I didn't mean the words at least, hell I had almost gone after him. How pathetic was I exactly?

"Please Elena," He begged, shoving his fingers back through his hair, "It's not what you think, just let me explain..."

I cocked an eyebrow folding my arms over my chest and glared at him. He could smooth talk his way out of anything and I knew that, it would be interesting to see what he could come up with this time.

"I doubt that there is anything that you can say that will fix it Damon. You messed with my head," _Can you say understatement! "You_ made me worry, and you didn't care at all." He flinched slightly as I said that last sentence but by that point I didn't care, I was on a war path, "But whatever...Wow me." Damon shifted back and forth for a few moments, worrying his bottom lip, looking for the life of him like he was nervous before he blurted out six words that had my heart feeling like it had stopped.

"Elena, I'm in love with you."

**_WHAT ?!_**

Swallowing, I leaned back against the wall, feeling like all the air had been kicked out of my body in one sudden rush, like I was going to collapse if I didn't rest back.

"What did you say?" I demanded, trying to catch my breath even as my heart kicked itself back into gear.

"I said I'm..."

"I know what you said!" I snapped, shoving myself away from the wall so I could go closer to him, "do you think that's funny?!" I yelled, pushing at his chest, "Let's play with Elena some more, she can take it. It doesn't matter what she's feeling as long as I get the last damn word in." I was hysterical by that point, pushing at him more and more...unsure whether I should be ecstatic that he had finally said he loved me or hurt because I wasn't sure I believed it. "You don't _love _me. I'm not more than the _little sister _Damon, you said that yourself." I was crying by that point but I couldn't have stopped the tears if my life depended on it. Swallowing I tried to shove everything that I was feeling deep down inside of me, at that point he wasn't worthy of my tears, of the pain I was feeling. "You don't fall in love with the little sister." I swallowed again before I stepped back from him, shutting down a wall as fast as I could on everything that I was feeling until I was cold inside and I could do what I needed to do, "You need to leave."

Damon looked like I had slapped him, like he wanted to protest, but he didn't say anything, instead he nodded and dejectedly walked towards the window.

"Elena I- "He began turning back towards me, but I didn't want to hear it, didn't want to feel it so instead I folded my arms across my chest.

"I said leave Damon." the words were clipped, they were cruel and they needed to be...or I wouldn't be able to come back from everything that had happened. Damon nodded and swallowed, one leg already out the window before he spoke again.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow..."

Shaking my head I tightened the arms that I held across my chest and gave him the coldest glare that I could muster up.

"For your sake and mine, Damon, I hope you don't." And then I was turning my back on him and walking into my bathroom, slamming the door shut behind me. I went through my nightly routine methodically and it wasn't until I laid my head on my pillow, thirty minutes later, that everything actually hit me. For all of the time that I had said things couldn't get any worse than they already were, fate really had a way of coming back to bite me in the ass, and at that point, I really wasn't sure what I was going to do anymore.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/n- I am so so sorry that this is late but long story short surgery sucks ass. That being said I am so sorry if this chapter is super wonky- if it is, please let me know I am hopped up on pain medication right now and will probably go back and change the chapter somewhat. As always thank you to everyone that reviewed, favorited and followed, they mean the world to me and they help me to keep going. Please don't forget to spread the love, I really do take everything that is said into consideration. For the person that said the story is a little clichéd, it's supposed to be, that was the goal so thank you for letting me know that I'm doing it right! ****J**** Anyways I am going to stop ranting and leave you to it, until next time, happy reading! **

Who's Crying Now?

Chapter 8- Damon

I sat for the longest time on the branch outside of Elena's room, wondering what the hell I was going to do. I had confessed, I had told her that I loved her and she has tossed it in my face, like my words meant absolutely nothing to her. Finally the light in her room turned off and I realized that she wasn't going to throw open the window, tell me it was all a mistake and that she loved me too, so instead I slipped down the tree, carefully making my way from branch to branch all the way to the ground below. I stood at the base of the tree for a few minutes, wondering where I was going to go next, Ric was inside so I couldn't go to him- Katherine would probably kill me if I showed up at her house and there was no way in hell that I was going home...not with the off chance the Giuseppe would be home, or better yet awake...I had already had a shitty day, I didn't want to add being a punching bag on top of that. Fingering the car keys in the pocket of my leather jacket I figured that if worse came to worse I could always get my car and sleep in that. deciding that that was the only plan of action that I really had I pulled my car keys out of my pocket and quietly snuck into my front yard, feeling like an idiot the whole time that i did it. What kind of fucked up family did you have to have when you were scared of getting caught on your own property. opening up the garage I swore softly at the noise that it made, but there wasn't much that I could do about it at that point. tugging open my car door, I switched on the engine, pushing the car into neutral and was about to push the car back out of the driveway when I was stopped but laughter behind me.

"Dude, what are you doing?" Swearing as the sudden speech caused me to start and smack my head on the top of the car, I turned around to find my younger brother smirking, his arms folded across his chest.

"Getting out of here for the night so I can sleep without having to keep one eye open." Shrugging I rubbed the top of my head where I had hit it, "You know I try not to sleep here when Giuseppe is around." Stefan snorted softly before shrugging himself.

"If you wanna sleep in the car then go ahead but dad isn't around, he left for a conference this afternoon and wont be back until some time next week." Stefan looked so smug I wanted to hit him, but instead I reached up, shifted my car back into park, pulled the keys out of the engine and climbed out of the car, pushing the door closed behind me.

"Thank god." I muttered, trekking my way into the house, not bothering to say anything to my brother. I was tired, I wasn't in the mood for his gloating, I just wanted to sleep for the next year and not have to think about the fact that I had just been _rejected _by my best friend. I didn't even consider stripping down when I got into my room, instead I fell down flat on my bed, fully clothed. with as exhausted as I was, I had hoped that the moment that my head hit my pillow I would fall asleep, but fate is a fickle bitch and instead of escaping into my dreams like I wanted too, I was wide awake, my thoughts completely focusing on Elena...what the hell was I going to do?

The hours passed slowly enough, until it felt like the centuries had went by. when the sun finally started to come up I hadn't slept at all, I was cranky and I still had a whole day left of school that I had to deal with as well as an insistent need to see Elena, even if she didn't want to see me. Dragging myself into the shower, I flipped the water onto cold so that it could hopefully wake me up a least some what before getting dressed and climbing into the car. I strongly doubted that Elena wanted to be walking to school with me so I drove instead, ending up at the school far earlier then was probably decent.

Resting my head against the steering wheel I cursed myself, what the hell was I doing, I didn't want to be there, I hadn't slept I was tired I was probably going to be a dick most of the day to anyone that even so much as looked at me wrong as it was all because I just wanted to see her...no needed to see her. the sharp rap of knuckles on my window pulled me from my thoughts, my head jerking up from the steering wheel until I could look at and the person trying to get my attention. Shaking my head I opened the door for Katherine, who climbed in on the drivers side, pushing my across the seats into the passengers seat.

"Well you look like shit." she offered offhandedly, reaching up to push her fingers back through my hair, "I take it last night didn't go very well." Swearing softly I dropped to the side so I could rest my head against her thigh, letting my eyes fall shut.

"Is that ever the understatement of the century." I muttered, groaning softly as she scratched her nails slowly through my hair as I rested against her leg, "It went to hell...fuck Katherine I don't know what to do." Katherine hummed softly under her breath as she toyed with my hair.

"Tell me what happened love?" She mumbled, staring ahead out the window. And so I told her everything, told her about going to see Elena, about how I had told her I loved her and how she had pushed me away like I was nothing. Katherine was silent the whole time that I was speaking, humming occasionally in agreement with me or frowning when I said something that she didn't like. "I don't know how you keep managing to dig yourself deeper and deeper into the pits Damon but you do...maybe you should just give her a little time to get over it before trying to fix things. You can tell her about Rebekah if you think it'll help but I honestly don't think it will at this point, anything you tell her she is going to claim that you're making it up in order to..."

Katherine went silent for a few moments trailing off mid-sentence, enough for me to get curious and sit up so I could look to see what she was staring so intently at, out the window. What I saw made my stomach turn. Standing in the courtyard not even twenty feet away from me was Elena- but that's not what made my stomach turn, instead it was the people that she had surrounded herself with. Kol and Klaus Mikaelson were twin brothers that had done nothing but cause trouble since their parents had moved to Mystic Falls from New Orleans. Elena was laughing at something that Kol was saying as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, the brush of his lips across her jaw as he spoke making me want to murder someone. "Now that's not something you see every day." I growled out, my hands already reaching for the handle on the car when Katherine stopped me, reaching down to take my hand and pull me back to her. "Don't go doing anything stupid Damon." Shaking her head she pushed her blond curls back over her shoulder, "Let me take care of it. As the saying goes, you want something done right, you do it yourself." And then she was getting out of the car leaving me to wonder what the hell exactly it was that she had in mind.

The whole day it felt like no matter where I turned Elena was there, usually with either Kol or Klaus hanging off of her, those smug little smiles plastered across their faces as they rubbed her sides and held her close. it made me wanna scream. by the time that the final bell had rang I was more then ready to go home, my fathers bourbon calling my name. When I walked into the house after a day spent in hell it was to find Stefan in the living room, clearing out most of the furniture with Tyler Lockwood.

"Whats going on in here?" I questioned leaning against the doorframe, folding my arms across my chest. Stefan chuckled softly before he shrugged.

"Dad's out of town, I'm a teenager what do you think is going on here?" He questioned back cocking an eyebrow at me. Rolling my eyes I stalked into the room, grabbed the decanter of my fathers good bourbon before heading back out. To hell with Stefan, to hell with his immature little need to throw a party while Giuseppe was out of the house, I just wanted to get plastered and spend the night moping in my room. I still had no idea as to what Katherine had planned and the little bitch that she was wouldn't tell me either, no matter how much I begged and pleaded with her to tell me. walking into my room I fell back onto my bed, taking a deep draw from the crystal container. I took another swallow feeling like it wasn't working fast enough before taking another wishing that the damn thing would just kick in already. By the time the decanter was empty the music had started playing in the house and had been for a while and I wasn't even close to being as drunk as I wanted to be. Deciding that if there was a party downstairs there must be alcohol I dragged myself out of bed and down the stairs, only stopping when I reached the bottom of the stairs and Tyler stepped into my path, blocking me off.

"Dude have you seen Gilbert lately?" He questioned, red solo cup balanced in one hand, his other holding onto the banister to keep what little balance that he could. "I don't know what you did to her man but you should do it more often?" Cocking an eyebrow at him I grabbed his shoulders slightly, half to steady him, half to demand to know what the hell he was talking about.

"Elena's here?" Tyler rolled his eyes and nodded towards the other side of the stairwell.

"She showed up about two hours ago with Kol and Klaus." Not bothering to say anything I followed the path that Tyler's little nod had taken only to find Elena at the top of the stairs, on the opposite side of the banister, half hanging out over the top floor. She looked like she had seen better days, her shirt completely unbutton save one button between her breasts. Her hips swayed to the beat of the music blasting across the speakers, her eyes closed and her arms raised above her head as she danced. Behind her Kol had his hands on her waist, holding her to keep her from falling to the bottom floor as her body twisted this way and that. I saw various shades of green as his hands slid higher and higher up over the bare skin of her sides, wishing that it was my hands that could be doing that. It was as I was watching that she slipped slightly, almost falling if it hadn't been for the grip that Kol had had on her. I felt my anger bloom as Kol did nothing but laugh at the situation, needing to get Elena to safety. Stumbling up the stairs I pushed people out of my way before I reached the two of them, grasping Elena but the waist and lifting her safely into the stairwell.

"what the hell do you think you're doing Salvatore?" Kol demanded as I curled my arms around the drunk and giggling Elena. I didn't respond, focusing instead of picking Elena up bridal style so that I could move her to my bedroom where she could sleep off some of her drunken musings.

"Its my Damon." She cooed, reaching up to touch my hair before breaking down in giggles again, "my beautiful, sexy blue-eyed devil." She smiled at my, tugging slightly on one of my black curls in a move that was doing things to my body that I didn't really want to be thinking about. Ignoring Kol I walked down one side of the stairs before heading up the other side of them towards my bedroom, Elena whispering softly words that made no sense in my ear as I went. It wasn't until I had shut the door behind us that I finally set Elena down on her feet. She stumbled slightly before she was able to grab hold of my shirt and hold herself steady. "Why don't you ever want me?" Usually Elena was a happy drunk but occasionally she got just the littlest bit sad and when that happened there was no stopping the tears, "I've loved you since I could remember and I was finally oaky with moving on from you but then no...no, no, no you _had_ to just tell me you loved me." She hiccupped tightening her hands in my shirt, "And you _kissed _me. I saved my first kiss for you but then your brother had to just go and steal it from me...stupid octopus arms." She snorted then the most unlady like thing that I had seen her do before her hands were reaching up to tangle in my hair. "And I wanted you to kiss me again and I didn't want you to stop but then you had to run and it was because of me and because I wasn't good eno-" Elena never got to finish that sentence because my mind had finally caught up to what she was saying and all I needed to hear was that she wanted me to kiss her again before my lips were settling onto hers.

Elena clutched at my hair as I pressed my lips a little harder into hers, curling my arms around her waist. The softest little whimpers left her mouth as I pulled her closer, parting her lips with my own. As the taste of her slid across my tongue I couldn't help the answering groan that passed my own lips. She was drunk, I was drunk, I could taste the alcohol on her tongue but I couldn't bring myself to care as I kissed her all the harder. It wasn't until I felt like I couldn't breathe that I pulled away, ignoring the soft moan that my best friend made in favor of marking up her neck. The first nip at her olive skin had her clutching roughly at my hair, pressing my mouth harder into her throat. I suckled at the skin, intent on leaving my mark, on claiming her but fate had other plans and my door was being flung open with a loud slam as it hit the wall behind it.

"Hey Damon have you seen Ele-" Stefan stopped midsentence as he caught sight of me with my arms curled around my best friend, both of our lips swollen and what I was sure was a guilty look across my own face. "Oh I see..." He muttered lamely, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the next. Elena took one look from Stefan to me before she was darting into the bathroom and slamming the door behind her.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/n- so here we are the newest, longest chapter…holy shit…its ten pages long! Teehee anyways, thank you as always to those that read and reviewed, it means the world to me. =) For those of you that said that there was no guilt and no rumors about Elena and Damon you were just jumping ahead of me…remember we've only passed about four days since this story has begun and it seems like so many days have passed but more like it's just because a whole bunch of stuff is happening. The next chapter is going to be interesting though that's for sure…and I want to know whether you guys want me to continue on the path that the story is going or speed things up...please let me know either way...anyways, please don't forget to review cause reviews = love and help me to keep writing and making things easier. Anyways I'm done ranting. Until next time, happy reading!**

**Who's Crying Now?**

**Chapter 9- Elena**

I slept horribly that night, tossing and turning wondering if what I was doing was the right thing, but from the moment that I had kicked Damon out of the house I felt all the better, a little bit more like I was in control of what was going on in my life. The next morning I took my time getting ready- I knew that I wasn't going to be walking with Damon that morning so I planned on getting a ride with Ric which meant that my normally rushed routine was actually slow paced. Brushing my fingers back through my hair for probably the hundredth time just to make sure there were no knots in it I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen where Ric and Jenna were bent over discussing something quietly. The second that I stepped in though, the sprung apart like they had been burned.

"Don't stop on my account," I rolled my eyes as I walked over to grab myself a cup of water. "Hey Ric, can I catch a ride to school?" The question much have caught him off guard because he didn't say anything for a while before he nodded his head.

"Yeah sure, just let me grab my thing." I smiled and ran up to my room to grab my backpack and a jacket. Ric was waiting next to the door when I finally got back downstairs, his keys in hand. We were silent getting into the car and the first few streets away from the house but then Ric started up and I just wanted him to shut the hell up. "So how are you and Damon doing?" As if he could have come up with a more awkward question. Shaking my head I turned to look out the window.

"I really don't want to talk about it." I grit out, letting out a rough breath. "Different subject please." Ric rolled his eyes, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

"It might help you to talk about it a little." He began again but stopped when I turned to glare at him.

"I said drop it." I snapped folding my arm across my chest. The rest of the car ride to the school was filled with an awkward silence and a tension so thick you could practically cut a knife with it. When we got to the school I was opening the door and making a dash for the building before Ric had even gotten the car to a complete stop.

"Have a nice Da-" His words were cut off as I slammed the door behind me. What had started off of a good morning was slowly going downhill. Damon was the last person that I wanted to talk about and as I had told him the night before I didn't want to see him at school either. I was halfway to the doors on the school when my cellphone began to ring from inside of my backpack, the steady sounds of the Beatles telling me who was calling._ Lady Madonna _was playing softly, getting closer and closer to the end of the song as I pulled my backpack in front of me looking for my cell phone as I walked. I could see the faint blue glow, illuminating one of my notebooks and the sketch that Damon had done on the front of it. I was so caught up on looking for my cellphone that I didn't see the curb, nor the person sitting on the edge of said curb smoking a cigarette. Swearing I fell forward, the backpack ripped from my grasp with the momentum a moment before I landed across someone's lap.

"You know I'm told I'm good looking but I never thought I would have people falling over me." He chuckled softly, reaching up to brush my hair back from my face as I blushed a deep red. Smiling he reached down to grasp my waist, his hands holding me steady as he helped me to my feet.

"I uh..." I stuttered feeling myself flush a deeper shade of red as his thumb stroked slowly along my hip. Leaning down he pressed his lips close enough to my neck that I could feel every hot breath that he took.

"Though if they are as beautiful as you, god knows I wouldn't mind in the least." As he whispered it to me his lips brushed slowly along the skin of my throat. I swallowed, laughing to ease my slight discomfort, my heart feeling like it was going to beat out of my chest, a feeling that I hadn't felt since Damon kissed me the first time.

"I need to get going." I muttered out, licking my lips and reaching for my backpack. He laughed softly reaching down to grab my cellphone that had fallen from my backpack when I had tripped.

"It was nice meeting you." He quipped as I grabbed my cellphone from him and made a mad dash for the building. It wasn't until I had gotten into my first class and sat down that I realized that I didn't even know the man's name. Sure I knew who the Mikaelson twins were, who didn't, but had it been Kol or Klaus that had flirted with me? That question was a welcome distraction through the whole of first and second period, where I spent another day not paying any attention to my classes. It wasn't until I was on my way to third period and I had run into a warm body because I wasn't paying attention that I was really drawn out of my thoughts.

"We just have to stop running into each other like this." He smiled curling his arm up and around my shoulder. Chuckling softly he shrugged his shoulders, "You ran off before I could introduce earlier. I'm Kol." Letting out a slow breath I chewed softly on my bottom lip, feeling a strange mixture of comfortable and uncomfortable under the weight of his arm.

"I'm Elena." I whispered looking down at my feet as I felt my blush start up again. Kol shook his head and nudged my chin so I would look up.

"I know who you are prince, who couldn't know who you are..." He smirked as his gaze slid over my body. In the distance the bell signaling third period was started, rang. "I'll see you later Elena." He walked away from me then before I could ask him exactly just how he knew who I was. I had thought that I had don't such a good job at staying under the radar. I spent the next class period not paying attention again but wondering how Kol knew who I was before I had introduced myself. When lunch time came I searched him out, determined to find out just how he knew who I was. In the lunch room he was sitting in the corner at a table with his twin, picking at the lunch that was in front of him. Walking over I tossed my backpack onto one of the chairs before I sat down, not asking permission. Kol smiled while his twin looked rather annoyed.

"Nice to see you again Elena." He smirked leaning back to balance on two legs of his chair as he looked me over. "I thought I was going to have to come looking for you, not that you would come find me." I smiled softly and shrugged, chewing on my bottom lip.

"So how exactly do you know me?" I questioned, unzipping my backpack so I could pull out a bottle of water, not exactly feeling hungry after the day that I had had. Klaus snorted as Kol shrugged.

"Does it really matter?"

"Yeah to me it does." Klaus rolled his eyes, making the dislike that I was having of him grow more and more. Sure his twin wasn't bad but there was just something about Klaus that was driving me up the wall.

"Who doesn't know-?"

"Christ you couldn't be happy with one man falling all over you, you just had to make it so that the Kol did too." Groaning it took everything in me to not bang my head into the table as Caroline Forbes stalked over to us, her hands on her hips. "Jesus and you have the nerve to call us slutty...Lord knows what you're doing with the twins behind closed doors and it probably doesn't even stop there either." Klaus was leering and Caroline and Caroline was giving him sex eyes right back, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out just exactly why she was attacking me. "And it probably doesn't stop at them either. Tell me gilbert, just how much of Mystic Falls are you fucking." Despite knowing why she was attacking me it didn't make her words hurt any less and I couldn't help the tears that were welling in my eyes.

"What the hell is your problem?" Kol demanded climbing to his feet. Caroline shrugged, her hands resting on the back of Klaus' neck, her fingers stroking along the skin. You could smell their affair from a mile away.

"I just call it like I see it." She sneered at me. Kol swore at her, and moved around to my side of the table as the tears started to fall, his arm curling around my shoulders. "After all, I'm not going to just sit back and let some **_whore _**go after my best friends boyfriend like it's okay and when she's done with him go after everyone else she can sink her pathetic little claws into. We just didn't think she'd move from one person to the next as fast as the little slut has...I mean Christ, she was all over Salvatore yesterday and today she has her greedy little paws all over you..."

"I don't _APPRECIATE _you calling my girlfriend a whore." He snarled back as I wondered why the hell he was defending me. It wasn't that I wasn't grateful, it was more like I just didn't understand why. Then the word _girlfriend _popped into my head and I wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Come on love, let's get outta here." Kol reached down to zip up my backpack, before he picked it up, swung it over his own shoulder and reached for my hand. I was in complete shock as we started out of the cafeteria, the various eyes glued to us after the scene that Caroline had caused making me want to crawl into a hole and die. By the time that we got into the hallway I was shaking badly and the tears were steadily rolling down my cheeks...I felt sick to my stomach. "Are you okay?" Kol was leaning down slightly so he could look me in the eyes, his hand reaching up to brush my hair back as I felt like I was hyperventilating, "I know that I shouldn't have called you my girlfriend like that but I couldn't just sit by and let her call you all those things, my mother would kill me if I had." Shaking my head I tried to tell him that I didn't care, that that was the least of my worries but the words just wouldn't come out. "Can I take you anywhere? I know that we still have one more class period left, but you don't look like you're really up to handling them." I nodded slightly, chewing hard enough at my lip to break skin.

"Can you run me home?" He nodded, taking my hand in his again and squeezing it softly, refusing to give me my backpack as he walked me out to his car. Ever the gentleman he opened the door for me and set my bag inside. I was getting ready to climb in when I heard someone calling my name. Turning slightly it took everything in me to not bolt into the car and slam the door shut as I recognized Katherine Pierce walking towards me- great that was just the icing on top of the cake.

"Elena can I speak with you about something, it's really important." And here it was going to come, the warning...I could practically hear it already. _Stay away from my boyfriend you slut_. Shaking my head I let out a slow breath and crossed my arms over my chest.

"What do you want Katherine?" Was that really my voice? Did I really sound that tired, that defeated and that damn pathetic?

"It's about Damon..."She began flipping her trademark blond curls back over her shoulder. "Listen I think you should-"

I never let her finish her sentence, I already knew what she was going to say...and she was right...she had a point, I had no business being around Damon anymore. I mean sure he was my best friend but there were lines that we had crossed that made it so that Damon was a cheater and that I was the other woman and I couldn't, no I _wouldn't_ be that person anymore...that's not the type of girl that I was.

"I know Katherine, I get it. Stay away from Damon. "

"Elena that's now what I was..."

"Please..."I finally begged when it seemed like she was not going to drop it, I already felt guilty enough over what I was feeling I didn't need Miss Cheerleader rubbing it into my face, "Not right now." And then I was climbing into the car and closing the door behind me, faintly hearing Katherine muttering something about desperate measures as she stalked away from me. Kol had remained silent, thankfully, the whole time that Katherine was attempting her talk, sitting inside of the car, his hands resting on the steering wheel, waiting patiently for me to get in so that he could drive me home. When I closed the door he started the engine, looking over at me and giving me a full smile.

"Where too?" He questioned softly. Almost mechanically I spouted off the directions, my hands reaching for the seatbelt and hooking it around my body. Kol talked steadily. about nothing really as he drove me home, occasionally glancing over my direction, and I was thankfully for it...it was better than the awkward silence that I had endured earlier that morning with Ric in the car. When he finally pulled up to the curb outside of my house, I undid my seatbelt and reached for the door after thanking him, when he reached over and touched my arm. "Are you gonna be okay?"

I forced a smile that I knew was fake as I settled back slightly to look at him.

"Yeah I'll be fine as soon as I can do something to distract myself so I don't have to think about the soap opera that is my life right now." Kol laughed slightly at that, his hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well if a distraction is what you want I might have something that could help. One of these guys that I know is throwing a party tonight...you should come with me." I hesitated as he flashed me another one of his smiles, his thumb stroking along the skin of my upper arm, "I know it's not much but you could have a few drinks...get outta the house and let loose for a little bit." I shook my head...parties weren't exactly my kind of thing, as a matter of fact I tended to avoid them more than anything.

"I dunno..."I began but Kol wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Come on, it'll be fun...and a distraction, just like you wanted. Plus it also means that you're not sitting home doing nothing tonight. Say yes Elena." And I don't know why I did it, it wasn't something that I usually did but the thought of not being me for one night was too good to pass up.

"Okay, yeah. I'll go." Kol grinned and released my arm so that I could step out of the car.

"You won't regret it Elena. I'll pick you up at 8" I shut the door behind me and then Kol was taking off down the street and I was wondering what the hell I had agreed too. As I walked into the house, dropping my backpack off in front of the door the real panic started to set in...What was I thinking, I couldn't do something like this and it wasn't exactly like I had his number so I could call and cancel on him or anything. I paced my bedroom for all of thirty minutes before deciding that there wasn't really anything that I could do about it and I might as well make the best of it. Glancing over at the alarm clock on my nightstand, I decided that a nap was in order before I even attempter to get ready, it was only noon, and I had the time. Setting the alarm for six, I took a swig of Nyquil knowing that it would make me sleep and after the last few nights of tossing and turning I needed to sleep. Settling down onto my bed, I couldn't help but curl up with Damon Jr. Sure I was fighting with the real Damon, and things were awkward with the two of us but it didn't mean that I couldn't seek solace where I could find it. Closing my eyes I clutched the bear close to me and willed myself to sleep...and sleep I did.

The next thing I knew my alarm was buzzing annoyingly next to me and I was swinging my arm over to turn it off. Reaching up I rubbed slowly at my eyes I pushed myself up out of bed, mentally wondering what the hell one wore to something like this. Shrugging I decided that a shower was in order, if anything it would serve to wake me up and give me a fresh slate to work with. I showered quickly, the whole time wondering how the night was going to go. It wasn't until I was sitting in front of my vanity, adding a touch of chapstick to my already minimal amount of make-up that I realized I had no idea what the hell I was doing. When 8 o clock rolled around, I walked down to the door in my pjs. Kol was there right on time, his eyebrow shooting up when he took in what I was wearing.

"Am I missing something?" He questioned softly. Shaking my head I took his hand and pulled him into the house.

"I have no idea how to do this and you're going to help me..." Kol didn't argue with me as I dragged him up the stairs and into my room, pushing him down on the window seat. "What do you even wear to something like this?" Kol chuckled softly as he rested back, crossing one leg over the other.

"Just whatever will make you feel comfortable." He shrugged softly, picking at his nails slightly. Nodding I rummaged around in my closet before pulling on a button down and jeans. I was bending down to put on my shoes when Kol stopped me, reaching down to take my hand so I would stand up. "Let's try that but add a little more to it." Reaching down he undid the couple of buttons that rested over my stomach until I was bare from the top of my jeans to the base of my bra. Sliding my hands across my stomach I chewed on my bottom lip.

"Are you sure this will work?" Chewing a little harder on my bottom lip I looked down along the expanse of skin that I had never really shown off before. Kol nodded and held out my jacket and cell phone to me.

"Yup let's go." When we got to the base of the stairs after I had put on my shoes, I was surprised to find that his brother was waiting outside leaning against the car.

"Finally, I thought I was gonna be waiting all night for the two of you." He snapped before he turned a leering gaze towards me that had me instantly wanting to cover up, "Though honestly I don't blame you with how she looks." He smirked looking over my body again and it was enough to make me want to walk back into the house.

"Ignore him." Kol whispered leaning down to touch his lips softly against my ear as he spoke, "Let's just have a good time." Kol's hand rested on my lower back as he walked us towards the sidewalk, but instead of getting into the car he walked us towards the Salvatore house.

"Where are we going?" I questioned softly looking over my shoulder at his car. Kol laughed softly and nodded towards the boarding house where the cars were already packed up. I stopped mid-step, my heart thudding roughly in my chest. "I'm not sure I can go in there I don't exactly want to see Damon." Kol shrugged and stroked my lower back as he walked us towards the house.

"Get a few drinks in you and you won't care who the hell Damon Salvatore is." Kol smirked slightly and shook his head, "Just think of it this way, it's a way to distract yourself as you said and I will make sure that he stays away from you." For a second I thought about it, considered that maybe it wasn't going to be a good idea but by that point we were already at the door and there was no really backing out...so instead of fighting it I figured what the hell, why not go with it- Kol had already done so much for me that day anyways it was the least I could do. The house was packed full of students from Mystic Falls High, all in various states of intoxication. Music blared loudly from the different corner of the house as he pulled me through towards the kitchen. In the living room we passed by Caroline, who after my experience with her at lunch was probably one of the last people that I wanted to see, her hand clutching a bottle close to her body as she ground against one Vicki Donovan...and she had enough nerve to call me a whore.

Snorting softly I followed Kol into the kitchen where he already had a red solo cup worth of beer held out to me. Shaking my head I set the cup down on the counter and reached for one of the bottle of tequila towards the back. It was probably Giuseppe's own stash but I couldn't bring myself to care as I took Kol's hand and lead him back towards the stairwell with the bottle in my grasp. At the first glance of blond curly hair I took a swig and then another, refusing to let thoughts and Damon and Katherine ruin my distraction. Kol cocked an eyebrow at me as I took yet another swig starting to head up the stairs. I finally stopped us when we hit the second floor and could look over the banister at all of the drunken teenagers dancing down below, taking another few swigs from the bottle. Kol didn't say anything, just smirked, took the bottle from me so he could take a drink before handing it back with a soft laugh. One song moved to the next and before I knew it there were only a few swallows left at the bottom of the bottle. Giggling softly I pressed up against Kol as I danced with him, finally starting to let go as the alcohol took effect in my system. What happened next was a blur...one moment I was dancing with Kol, the banister separating the two of us, though how I had gotten over the banister was beyond me, and the next Damon was picking me up in his arms. Giggling softly I slid my hands into his ever so soft hair.

"It's my Damon!" I cooed, by that point not really caring that I was angry and that I didn't want to see him, "My beautiful, sexy, blue-eyed devil." I smiled tugging softly at his soft curls, staring into his amazing blue eyes. I started giggling again as he swept me up bridal style, pressing my lips softly against his chin as I whispered to him, "you're so damn pretty...too pretty...nobody should be that pretty...why are you so pretty...it's not fair." I probably wasn't making any sense but I didn't really care. the room around me spun when he finally set me on my feet in his room, my hand reaching up to grab as his shirt to hold myself steady as all the reasons as to why I shouldn't be there popped into my head, "Why don't you ever want me?" I demanded softly before I could really think of the words that I was saying, hoping that he wouldn't answer me for fear of what he would say but unable to stop it as the words came pouring out like word vomit "I've loved you since I could remember," _WHY ARE YOU TELLING HIM THIS ELENA!_ "And I was finally okay with moving on from you but then no...no, no, no, you just **_had _**to tell me you loved me." Why couldn't I stop my drunken rambling? I didn't want to tell him anything that I was telling him, but the tequila had loosened my tongue and there was no stopping it. I hiccupped, my hand tightening in his shirt as the room spun a little more, "and then you **_kissed _**me! I saved my first kiss for you but then your brother had to just go and steal it from me," even the brief memory of it had me wanting to gag and with the alcohol in my system it was looking like a possibility that I would see the contents of my stomach again, "stupid octopus arms..."I snorted softly as I remembered pushing Stefan's arms away from me more times than I could count, feeling all the while like he had had more than two arms and more like eight so that he could grab me at any possible moment. Shaking my head I got distracted by his hair again and before I knew what I was doing, my fingers had tangled in his hair again, "and I wanted you to kiss me again...and I didn't want you to stop but then you had to run and it was because of me and because I wasn't good eno-"

My words were cut off mid-sentence by Damon's lips on my own, his hand curling over the back of my neck as he took my lips none to gently. My fingers tightened in his hair as his tongue passed over my lips, his fingers leaving the back of my neck to curl around my waist and pull my body into his, his tongue thrusting past my lips. I could taste the whiskey on his tongue, all the more reminder that we were both drunk, but I didn't care at that moment, I just _wanted _him. All too soon his lips were pulling away from my own and I wanted them back on my own, but then he was sucking roughly at my neck and I couldn't bring myself to care. A moan passed my lips as I pulled him closer to my neck, but then there was a loud bang and I was pulling back, blushing bright red as Stefan walked into the room.

"Hey Damon have you seen Ele-" He stopped mid-sentence his gaze, the judging little look passing from Damon to me and back again. "Oh...I see." I felt sick to my stomach as Stefan looked at me like I was scum on the bottom of his shoe. Swallowing to keep what was coming up down, I made a dash for the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. The moment that it was closed the guilt swam over me. I was the other woman, Caroline was right, I was no more than a whore. What the hell was I thinking? Damon had a girlfriend...and sure Katherine was a bitch, but even she didn't deserve to be cheated on. Turning on the water I splashed some on my face as I mentally berated myself. It was no wonder that people thought that I was such a slut, I was pretty much proving them right.

"Elena please come out..."Damon called softly as he knocked on the door, but I wasn't ready to come out yet, the guilt building and building. I sat against his bathtub for what felt like forever, Damon calling softly to me every few seconds. When I couldn't take it anymore I got up and walked to the door, flinging it open so that I could come face to face with Damon.

"Elena I can explain... Katherine and I..." He began in what was starting to see like a normal conversation for us.

"I don't want to hear it Damon." I snapped curling my arms around my waist, feeling dirty. "I can't keep doing this. You've made me the other woman...I'm your whore Damon...I can't be your whore... I can't be that person..." I was crying softly, unable to keep the tears from falling as I tried to push past Damon. He grabbed my arms, trying to stop me, but I couldn't let him stop me, I wasn't willing to give into him, I couldn't give in to him. "Let me go Damon..." Damon was ignoring me though and grasped my arms trying to hold me in place. Yanking myself from his grasp I slapped him, my hand connecting with his cheek in a hard smack. I didn't wait for Damon to react to me instead I fled the room, feeling sick to my stomach as I tried to escape. I made it half way down the stairs when I tripped and landed at the feet of a couple making out at the base of the stairs in the stairwell. As I started to stand up an apology was bubbling from my lips until I caught sight of who it was. Stefan looked like I had caught him with his hands in the cookie jar while Katherine looked smug, her lips curling into a smirk as she didn't even bother to pull herself away from Stefan, her hands still pushed up the bottom of her shirt. "You..."

"Oops." And she didn't sound the bit sorry in the least, instead she sounded smug about it. Shrugging slightly she reached up to curl her fingers into Stefan's (who at least had the decency to look a little bit guilty that I had just caught him with his tongue down his brothers girlfriends throat) hair. "Move along."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/n- So I'm not exactly happy with this chapter but I still wanted to get it out before midterms next week when I probably wont be able to update at all. That being said the next chapter is going to change things up a little, it will be another Damon chapter as opposed to an Elena one because his side isn't done yet but it would have been way to much to put into one chapter. Anyways- thank you to everyone that reviewed and favorited and followed, they absolutely mean the world to me and I take each and every one of them to heart. That being said I still would like to know whether you guys would like the pace of the story to pick up or for me to continue on with how it is...majority will win on it and I'll continue with however you guys feel is best.**** Hopefully you guys have enjoyed Katherine acting a little bit more like Katherine (and yes she will be more like herself with time though whether she fully ends up with Stefan or not is still up in the air...hmm maybe I will let you guys decide that :) ) Anyways, I am done ranting, please don't forget to review and with that said until next time happy reading. **

**Who's Crying Now?**

**Chapter 10- Damon**

The moment that Elena disappeared into the bathroom I knew that I had majorly fucked up. I shouldn't have kissed her, I should have explained what was going on with Katherine and I, but the second that she had said she wanted me to kiss her I couldn't help myself, I just needed to feel her lips on my own, her body against my own as well. Stefan just smirked as the door slammed behind her, folding his arms across his chest and looking for the life of him like that cat that got the cream.

"I always knew there was something between the two of you." He sneered, glancing over at the bathroom door, "Caroline told me about how much of a slut she was but I never really believed it. Surely innocent little Gilbert couldn't be jumping from bed to bed like everyone was saying she was...guess it just goes to show that people will always surprise you."

"Get the fuck outta my room." I snarled even as I was going towards the door and knocking on it. "Elena, please come out." I begged softly as I knocked on the door, resting my forehead against the wood. I had put her in this position, I had done this to her with my selfish want of her, "Elena please...he's gone just come out...let's talk about this..." Letting out a rough breath I pushed my fingers back through my hair before knocking on the door over and over again, softly begging my best friend to come out. I needed to know that she didn't hate me for the position that I had yet again put her in. It felt like forever that I was standing outside my own bathroom door. "Lena...come on...please..." I move my head to knock again when the door was flung open and Elena stalked out, her eyes red-rimmed from crying, but her expression curled into a look of pure loathing. "Elena I can explain..." _Why _was everything that I had to say to her lately starting with those four damn words? "Katherine and I..." I didn't even get to add the words that mattered most, the words that could make this whole mess go away, the final piece that could solve everything- _We aren't really even together- _before Elena cut me off.

"I don't want to hear it Damon," She snarled at me, curling her arms around her waist like she was trying to protect herself from me, "I _can't _keep doing this..."She sounded like I had broken her, like I was slowly killing her on the inside, "You've made me the other woman..."Her voice cracked as she spoke, a soft sob breaking from her lips, "I'm your _whore _Damon..." I opened my mouth to correct her, to yell at her for daring to say something so damn negative about herself but the look that she shot at me as the tears started to fall even harder shut me up completely, "I **_can't _**be that person." She gasped softly before trying to make a break for the door, her breathing ragged and harsh sounding as she tried to hide her tears from me. Reaching up I grabbed her arms...needing to stop her, to explain things before she could escape. I needed to _fix _things but I wasn't really sure how to... "Let me go Damon..."She whimpered softly, struggling against my grip even as I tried to keep her still, feeling for the life of me like everything was slipping through my fingers and I was completely helpless to stop it.

Finally she yanked herself out of my reach, stumbling back slightly as she glared at me. I reached for her again only to have her palm connect with my cheek in a sharp sting that had my head spinning. I stood still for a few minutes, completely shocked that she had taken a swing at me before shaking myself out of it and following her out the door as she ran from me. Turning the corner at the top of the stairs, I called her name over the music that was still pounding through the walls of the house. My breath caught in my throat as I turned the corner and watched her pitch forward down over the last two stairs and fall to her hands and knees. As Elena started to pull herself up I caught exactly who it was that she had fallen into, the sneer curling across Katherine's lips worthy of her (slightly bitchy) girlfriend. "_You..._

"Oops." Katherine must have been channeling her inner bitch or something because she didn't sound the least bit sorry as she glared down at Elena and briefly I felt myself wondering if this was her diabolical little plan to get Stefan away from Elena and to make me suddenly magically single. She smirked at Elena, her fingers curling up into Stefan's hair, tossing a cheeky little wink at me as Elena looked down at the floor, a blush staining her cheeks. "Move along." Elena whimpered softly as she tried to pull away from what was going on in front of her but it seemed like Katherine and Stefan weren't done with their little game- Stefan wanted to destroy Elena and it was coming off clear as day, Katherine giving him confidence as he decided to push a little more at what little composure that Elena had left.

"You heard her." He snapped, unable to meet my eyes as he pawed at my "girlfriend", his eyes narrowing into a glare. "Unless not only are you easy, you like watching you." Katherine laughed, something that I knew from spending far too much time with her that it was fake.

"Oh is she gonna cry now?" She taunted softly as Elena looked like they had physically struck her. Shaking my head at the two of them I took Elena by the hand and gently guided her back up towards my room, the fact that she was no longer fighting me, worrying me quite a bit. When I closed the door to my room she walked over to the edge of my bed almost robotically before seemingly to collapse against it.

"I...I-Don't.." She took a stuttering breath looking down at her hands in front of her, the confusion clear with every movement that she made.

"Elena?" I questioned softly, kneeling down in front of her, my hands reaching up to take hers in my own, to hopefully steady her a little bit as her body trembled and her breathing kicked up another notch, bordering on a full blown panic attack. Her eyes darted to mine, her fingers curling tightly around my hands as fear mixed in with the confusion. She swallowed once, then twice, her eyes growing wide as she struggled to breathe. Remembering the few times that my mother had had a panic attack before she died I remembered the best thing to do would be to distract them, so I did the only thing that I could think to do at that moment, I curled my fingers into her hair and lifted up to press my lips softly into hers.

At first it was gentle, my lips softly molding along hers, but then Elena started to respond and all thoughts of keeping things calm and just using the kiss as a distraction, slipped into the background. I lifted up slightly, to press my lips roughly into hers as she leaned into me, pressing her body down against mine, her legs straddling either side of my thighs. The kiss felt amazing, her tongue pressing past my lips as her fingers tangled in my hair. I groaned softly, sucking on the tongue that she had pushed into my mouth and that seemed to draw her out of whatever mood she had been in because she pulled away from me, practically throwing herself against my bed in her haste to get away from me.

"Christ I can't do anything without throwing myself at you." She whimpered softly, rubbing her hand over her face. Shaking my head I grabbed hold of her waist and pulled her back onto my lap and settling her there before reaching up to touch her cheek. "What's wrong with me?!"

"Elena...shut up and listen to me, please..." I murmured softly figuring that the only way that I could even think of getting it through her thick skull would be to blunt as I possible could be. Stroking my thumb across her cheek bone I leant down a little so that I was looking her in the eyes. "**I. LOVE. YOU.** Katherine and I weren't together, not like you think...it was a cover, she's like a sibling...hell Katherine doesn't even like men like that, or at least I'm pretty sure she doesn't." Elena rolled her eyes.

"Damon, I want to believe you but I don't know how too." Chewing slowly on her bottom lip she looked down at her hands resting in her lap, "But Katherine was just jumping Stefan and you were telling me less than a week ago that you loved her that she was the one and that killed me..." Shaking her head she reached up to push fingers back through her curls, "I'm so...confused." Nodding a let out a slow breath- I was probably driving her insane with everything that I was piling onto her plate in one sitting. "I'm the little sister." She bit down hard on her bottom lip and started to climb off of my lap, but I pulled her back against me, stroking her side to help her to remain calm as she talked to me, "You don't love the little sister, you don't want the little sister...she's a permanent friend corner fixture." sighing softly she looked back down at her lap.

"How can I prove it to you?" I questioned softly, my hand curling under the material of her shirt to stroke the smooth skin of her stomach. She shrugged softly. I thought about it for a second before deciding that I wanted my lips on her again and that I could prove it to her that way. Curling my hand onto her lower back I pulled her body as snugly against mine as I could before pressing my lips softly down against hers, keeping the kiss softly and slow. Like all the other times it took her a few moments to respond, but even when she did I forced myself to remind gentle. The kiss continued on like that for a while, slowly winding down to soft pecks before I pulled back and reached up to stroke my fingers softly over her bottom lip. "I will do whatever I can to prove to you that I love you."

"I just...I Need to think." She whispered, leaning into my touch. I nodded, I knew that it would take her a while to process everything that I had told her, I knew that she didn't trust me... "I should go..." She struggled to stand up, wobbling slightly in a way that reminded me that she had been drinking. Reaching up I took her wrist before standing myself.

"Stay here with me tonight..."I implored softly, stroking my thumb over her wrist, "you've had a lot to drink and I would feel safer if you stay here with me." Elena hesitated before nodding and climbing into my bed. I climbed in next to her, curling my arms around her body I held her against me. At first Elena protested, starting to pull away from me, but I hushed her softly, "Nothing more will happen tonight..."I promised her softly as I stroked her sides. Elena smiled softly and nodded curling closer to me. Whether it was emotional exhaustion or she was just comfortable enough to sleep but soon Elena was drifting off in my arms. I had promised her nothing for tonight but there was no saying what the morning would hold.


	11. Chapter 11

**Who's Crying Now?**

**Chapter 11- Damon**

I waited until Elena fell asleep before I even dared to consider going to find Katherine and Stefan and find out what the hell was going on. I didn't want to leave her when I finally had her settled in my arms, but there were just some things that had to be taken care of, so sliding my arms from around her body I slowly crept out of my bed and across the room before making my way down the stairs. During the past few hours the party had died down and now there were mostly just a few people scattered here and there. It didn't take long to find Katherine, she was sitting in the kitchen at the breakfast bar, a cup of coffee clutched between her hands as she stared into space.

"So you wanna tell me what the hell that was all about?" I questioned softly, sitting down on the stool next to her. Katherine glanced over at me before she shrugged and looked back down at her mug, remaining silent, "Are you with Stefan now or..." I wasn't even really sure how to finish the sentence so I let it trail off into silence. We sat there for even longer in the silence, Katherine taking occasional sips from her coffee until I couldn't handle it anymore and took her cup from her, setting it down on the other side of me, "I mean come on Kat, what the hell was that?"

"I did what needed to be done." She shrugged again leaning forward slightly to try and take her mug back from me. Growing softly in frustration I blocked her hands.

"But Stefan? Serious?" Katherine laughed softly scratching her nails against the marble counter to pick at the junk stuck to it after the party. Licking her lips she glanced over at me.

"What can I say..."She snorted softly, flicking her hair back over her shoulder, "Desperate times and all that jazz..." Shaking her head again she swung around on the stool to look at me, "and what do you mean seriously? Stefan isn't all that bad...once you get past the whole jock thing." She shuddered slightly as she said jock. I chuckled softly rolling my eyes, leave it to Katherine, the head cheerleader, to hate her own kind.

"You're a lesbian." I reminded her gently, picking up her cup of coffee so that I could take a swallow of the now cold liquid. Katherine slid off of the barstool and slipped past me towards the entrance of the kitchen, rolling her eyes as she went.

"Just because I'm with you-know-who doesn't make me a lesbian." She quipped softly, "After all I dated you." I scowled, glaring at her as she started to giggle, "But seriously Damon, it's called bisexual...and besides," She shrugged slightly a smile curling the corner of her lips, "...a girls gotta have her fun." She was laughing to herself as she walked out of the kitchen and as much as I wanted to follow after her, I didn't dare leave Elena any longer, just in case she woke up while I was gone. When I got to my room, Elena was beginning to get restless in her sleep, reaching for me subconsciously. Stripping down to my boxers I climbed back into bed with her, circling my arms around her body and pulling her against my chest. She settled down instantly, snuggling closer to my body and letting out a content little breath. Smiling softly to myself I started to relax, letting my eyes fall shut.

The next morning I woke up to the feeling of fingers tracing over the skin of my bare chest. I didn't even remember falling asleep the night before and was wondering why the hell I was half naked. Licking my lips I tried to remember what the hell had happened and who was groping me, the fingers sliding down lower to trace over the skin of my abs, the feeling of those fingers doing weird things to my stomach...

Elena!

It was Elena who was touching me. My stomach clenched, my eyes flying open. She had started to pull her hand away the moment that she felt me tense up...but I couldn't let her do that, I wanted her touching me.

"Good morning..."I whispered, taking her hand into mine and lifting it up so that I could press my lips softly to her palm. I smiled turning so that I could look down at her. She was propped up on her elbow, her hair looking like she had been tumbling around in bed for the last few hours and a sleepy smile curled over her lips.

"Morning." She whispered back, meekly, not at all sounding like my Elena... I paused with that thought...

She was MY Elena.

Just like I was hers.

Smiling to myself it took me a moment to realize that she was still talking to me, even as the last words that I wanted to hear passed from those extremely distracting lips of hers.

"We still need to talk." Damn it! I knew that she was going to bring that up...

Why? Why would she bring that up? Groaning softly I let go of her hand so that I could push my fingers back through my hair.

"Do we have too?" I whined softly, thumping my head back against the headboard. It was absolutely the last thing that I wanted to be discussing at that point. Hell I was I even to the point where I would rather go a round with Giuseppe then be having this conversation with her. It's not that I didn't want to help her understand everything, it wasn't that I didn't want things to be different because I did I just could imagine how bad this conversation was going to go- it seemed like all Elena and I could do anymore was fight with each other.

"Yes Damon, we have to have this conversation." Shaking her head she started to climb out of my bed, and I couldn't let that happen. Swearing softly I reached over to grab her arm and pulled her back into the bed with me, pushing my hand up under the open part of her shirt, my thumb stroking along the smooth skin of her side.

"Okay, fine, we'll talk." I relented, pushing my hand a little higher up her side, feeling for the life of me like there were better things that we could be doing, things that included a lot less clothing and being able to feel her body against mine completely. She looked pointedly down at my hand on her stomach before cocking an eyebrow almost like she was asking me if I really thought that we would be able to have a conversation when all I really wanted to do was slide my hands along her skin...the answer...yes, yes I could if I really needed too.

"Damon." Her arms folded across her chest and she looked all stern like so reluctantly I pulled my hand away and let out a slow breath. "That's better. You said last night that you and Katherine aren't really together...what did you mean by that." Wow she just gets straight to the point doesn't she. Elena shifted uncomfortably as I thought for a moment on how to answer the question without coming off like I was completely insane- after all she had seen Katherine all over Stefan herself last night and if I said that it was because Katherine was a lesbian...err...bisexual- whatever, she wasn't likely to believe me and would believe that it was all just some game.

"Katherine and I are complicated..." From the look that she gave me I could tell that that was the wrong way to start that sentence, but hell it was the truth, we were complicated, things between the two of us were complicated and not something that most people would understand, "Katherine doesn't love me, at least not like you think and I don't love her...well as I said at least not like you think I do..."

"But you said-" The look that I gave her shut Elena up. If I was going to do this then I was going to get it all out before she started questioning me or it would never happen and things would just end up even more fucked up then they already were.

"Katherine is in love with a woman named Rebekah." I chuckled softly and pushed my fingers back through my hair, I never thought that I would be having this conversation with anyone, let alone Elena, "and she doesn't want anyone knowing about it so a couple of months ago she came to me and offered me a proposition...we act like a couple at school and around everyone else and behind closed doors we are free to be with who we want too...at the time it was the perfect solution so I agreed."

"But Damon...that just means that you're always lonely because you don't have anyone...not really." She chewed softly on her bottom lip as she thought of this, looking at me with almost pity in her eyes.

"It was perfect because I couldn't have the girl that I really wanted so I would rather be alone." Elena snorted softly and shook her head.

"Damon, you can have anyone that you want too and you know it." She countered looking down at her hands and twiddling her fingers. "I mean any girl would be lucky to have you..." I chuckled softly, leaning forward to stroke my thumb over her cheek, forcing her to look up at me rather then look down at her hands.

"Must be lucky then that the girl that I want, wants me back." Smooth line there Damon, I congratulated myself, even as I was leaning down to press my lips softly into hers. My hand on her cheek slid to the back of my neck to draw her body closer to my own even as I pressed my lips a little harder into hers. Elena protested half-heartedly against my mouth until my tongue flicked against her upper lip, and only then did she shut up. She shifted slightly on her bed until she was on her knees, her fingers curling into my hair again as she let out this breathy little sigh. Taking that as my cue I slipped my hands onto her thighs and tugged her over me until she was straddling my hips, my tongue tracing the contours of her mouth. Morning breath be damned, I didn't care anymore just so long as I could have her against me like this. The kisses started out slow and gentle until Elena accidentally nipped at my bottom lip and then they turned hungry, I wanted her and from the noises that she was making she wanted me too. She matched me stroke for stroke, her tongue against mine, the fingers that she curled into my hair, tightening as she got more into it. I groaned softly, my body starting to respond to the woman that I wanted being on top of me and just like that she froze, her body going rigged in my grasp. "What's wrong?" I questioned softly, stroking her side as I pulled back from her lips. Elena blushed bright red, chewing on her bottom lip, her body moving subconsciously against mine.

"I've never..."She went a brighter red as she stuttered out the words, "I'm mean I-..." She whimpered softly as she trailed off, chewing harder on her bottom lip, "I'm a virgin." She finally blurted out. The news knocked me off balance, and I found myself gaping at her slightly...how was she...but the more that I found myself thinking about it the more that I realized that I had never really seen her with anyone and that she had told me that Stefan had stolen her first kiss...holy shit. Elena was a virgin. How the hell had I missed that? "But I want you…"She whispered softly, stuttering as she said it, her hand reaching up to stroke down along my chest, a move that was making my thoughts all flow down to my head. Gathering up her courage she trailed her hand down until it was resting just above my boxers, "I want you Damon." And as much as I wanted her too the word _virgin_ was glaring at me and I couldn't ignore it.

"Elena wait," I began reaching down for her hand, instantly knowing that I had made the mistake as she pulled away from me, folding in slightly on herself.

"I know that I'm not as _experienced _as the other girls that you've been with..."She started to tear up slightly, climbing off of my lap and folding her arms across her waist as she did, "But that doesn't mean that I cant be just as good." She whimpered softly, rubbing her arms as she turned away from me. "Did I do something wrong?" Shaking my head I stood up and reached for her, leaning down to press my lips softly to her shoulder.

"I want you Elena..."I murmured softly, needing to reassure her that it wasn't like that, "I just want to do this right." Elena shook her head and turned towards me, biting slightly at her lip as her eyes show with tears like I had _rejected _her.

"What does that even mean?" She demanded softly, even as I drew her close to me again. "I want you to show me...Show me that you want me Damon." And at that point no matter what, I found that I could no longer deny her, I would give her what she wanted.

**A/N- So yeah...that's the end of this chapter and I know that a lot of you are going to be mad that I cut it off where I did but I felt that it was only right to do that. As always thank you to everyone that read reviewed and followed, they mean the world to me and I truly take all of your suggestions to heart. Next chapter we will be back to Elena's POV, and it should be a long chapter considering everything that we have covered in the last two of Damon's, but as a forewarning it might take a little longer then usual because I have midterms this next week and those are a bitch...but I will update as soon as is humanly possible. :) Please don't forget to review... I think that I've ranted enough. Until next time, happy reading.**


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